failed to exceed

USAGE SUMMARY

"failed to exceed" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing situations where something did not surpass a certain level or standard. Example: "The team's performance failed to exceed expectations." Alternative expressions include "did not surpass" and "fell short of."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

The daytime temperatures failed to exceed zero.

The New York Times - Sports

The company's second-quarter profit failed to exceed the $1.94 a share average forecast of 17 analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.

The New York Times

Emergency management officials and coastal residents took moderate precautions, although several said they tended not to get too worried when an approaching storm failed to exceed 70 m.p.h.

The New York Times

Still, the results failed to exceed some of the most optimistic estimates, which explained a temporary drop in the shares after the report, he said.

The New York Times

Svetlana Feofanova, who has broken the world indoor mark in the pole vault three times in the last two weeks, failed to exceed her record of 15 feet 6 inches, set last Sunday in Ghent, Belgium.

The New York Times - Sports

The offense failed to exceed two earned runs for the fifth time in Glavine's past six starts, and the Mets have scored 12 runs in those games, the previous five being losses for Glavine.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

But it added that it was not professional misconduct "to fail to exceed minimum standards".

The New York Times

"Avatar" will be a great disappointment if its worldwide ticket sales fail to exceed $500m.

The Economist

If the work's price fails to exceed the guarantee, then the third-party guarantor acquires the work and has a new decoration for his fifth house in St Moritz.

The Guardian - Arts

Abba Lerner spelled it out in 1944 in "The Economics of Control", asking that each activity be expanded until its added social benefits fail to exceed its added social costs.

The Economist

If the best-match value fails to exceed csim, in either target-present or target-absent conditions, a rejection is recorded.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with numerical data to maximize clarity, as seen in Ludwig examples where it often precedes percentages, dollar amounts, or temperatures.

Common error

Avoid using "failed to exceed" if the subject did not even arrive at the minimum requirement. For instance, if a student needs a 50 to pass and gets a 40, they 'failed to reach' the passing grade. If they got a 50 exactly but needed 'more than' 50 to get an award, then they "failed to exceed" it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failed to exceed" acts as a complex verb phrase where the main verb 'fail' is modified by an infinitive phrase to indicate a negative outcome regarding a specific threshold. According to Ludwig AI, it is primarily used to denote that a subject did not surpass a comparative benchmark.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "failed to exceed" is a robust and highly professional phrase used to describe situations where a subject does not surpass a specific limit, record, or expectation. Analysis from Ludwig AI indicates that it is particularly prevalent in Scientific and Financial contexts where exact thresholds are critical. It is more formal than "didn't beat" and more precise than "wasn't enough". Writers should use it when they want to emphasize a benchmark that was not overcome, ensuring they distinguish it from simply 'failing to reach' a target. Its frequent appearance in high-authority sources like The New York Times and The Economist confirms its status as a standard tool for objective, data-led writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not surpass

A more direct, neutral alternative that avoids the connotation of 'failure'.

fell short of

An idiomatic expression that often implies a disappointment or missing a goal.

remained below

Emphasizes the state of being under a limit rather than the action of failing to cross it.

did not go beyond

Focuses on the boundary or limit that was not crossed.

did not top

Common in journalistic contexts, especially regarding records or rankings.

was less than

A simple mathematical comparison often used in technical reporting.

failed to reach

Suggests the subject didn't even touch the target, whereas 'exceed' implies not going over it.

failed to clear

Often used in hurdles or financial thresholds where a 'clean' pass is required.

underperformed

Specifically used in business or sports to denote results lower than expectations.

missed the mark

A more figurative way to describe not hitting a target or threshold.

FAQs

How to use "failed to exceed" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a shortfall, such as: "The quarterly revenue "failed to exceed" the projections set by analysts." See more contexts on "failed to exceed".

What is the difference between "failed to exceed" and "did not reach"?

While both indicate a shortfall, "failed to exceed" specifically means not going higher than a certain number. If you reach a target but do not go past it, you have met it but "did not surpass" it.

Is "failed to exceed" formal enough for a scientific paper?

Yes, it is very common in scientific literature to describe statistical thresholds. Ludwig shows it is frequently used in journals like "Plosone" and "BMC Public Health".

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

Depending on the tone, you can use "fell short of", "did not top", or "remained under".