failed to arrive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "failed to arrive" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone or something did not reach a destination or expected point in time. Example: "The package failed to arrive on the scheduled delivery date, causing inconvenience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

But love failed to arrive.

The New Yorker

The repaired bus failed to arrive and we were stuck.

The New York Times

I requested a reset, but the emails failed to arrive.

The Guardian - Tech

Mr. Alagna failed to arrive onstage at one point in the second act, missing lines.

The New York Times - Arts

Some Labour MPs had anticipated a watershed for Jeremy Corbyn that simply failed to arrive.

The Guardian - Opinion

When the payments failed to arrive, impatient pensioners demanded their money.

The Guardian

When his comrades failed to arrive in Canada, he testified, he worked mostly on his own.

The New York Times

When she failed to arrive, the police briefly detained her aunt.

The New York Times

Sheehy's body was discovered the next evening after she failed to arrive for work and colleagues raised the alarm.

The Guardian

Around half the missions sent there since the first Soviet attempts in 1960 have failed to arrive.

The Economist

The condoms that were supposed to be distributed failed to arrive — but the people wouldn't have used them anyway.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "failed to arrive", ensure the context clearly indicates the expected destination or point in time. For instance, "The shipment failed to arrive on time" clarifies the expectation.

Common error

Avoid using "failed to arrive" in situations where a more abstract term like "failed to materialize" or "did not happen" would be more appropriate. "The promised support failed to arrive" is fitting, but "the solution failed to arrive" might be better phrased as "the solution did not materialize".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failed to arrive" functions as a verb phrase indicating that something or someone did not reach a specific destination or appear at an expected time. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use across various contexts, from physical objects to expected events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Wiki

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "failed to arrive" is a versatile verb phrase used to indicate that something or someone did not reach a destination or appear as expected. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media. While generally neutral in register, careful consideration should be given to context to ensure appropriateness. When writing, consider alternative phrases like "did not reach" or "never arrived" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not reach

Direct replacement focusing on the absence of reaching a specific point.

never arrived

Emphasizes that the arrival never happened.

did not turn up

An informal alternative, implying an expected appearance.

did not appear

Focuses on the absence of an expected appearance.

failed to materialize

Highlights the lack of something becoming a reality or happening.

was not delivered

Specifically refers to items not reaching their destination.

was a no-show

Informal term, mostly used to describe people.

fell through

Suggests a plan or arrangement that did not happen.

never came to pass

A more formal way of saying something didn't happen.

came to nothing

Indicates a lack of positive result or completion.

FAQs

How can I use "failed to arrive" in a sentence?

You can use "failed to arrive" to indicate that someone or something did not reach a destination or an expected point in time. For example, "The package "failed to arrive" on the scheduled delivery date".

What can I say instead of "failed to arrive"?

You can use alternatives like "did not reach", "never arrived", or "did not turn up" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "failed to arrive" or "did not arrive"?

Both ""failed to arrive"" and "did not arrive" are correct and often interchangeable. "Failed to arrive" might imply a stronger sense of expectation or obligation.

What's the difference between "failed to arrive" and "failed to materialize"?

"Failed to arrive" typically refers to physical arrival at a location or time, while "failed to materialize" refers to something not becoming a reality or not happening.