failed woefully

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "failed woefully" is correct and usable in written English.
Generally speaking, it is used to emphasize how badly something has failed. For example: The team had trained hard, but they failed woefully in the competition.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The strategy of the immediate past administration – if ever there was a strategy – failed woefully.

The Guardian

Thirlwall told Jones and Bradburn: "You failed woefully to protect him from the very obvious dangers you exposed him to.

The Guardian

As it happens, the FOMC did not understand the trouble that was brewing, and to the extent that it did it failed woefully to act the mitigate the potential damage.

The Economist

For years, efforts to raise the minimum wage at the federal and local levels faltered, despite the fact that, over the past few decades, it has failed woefully to keep up with inflation.

The New Yorker

"The war to end all wars," as Woodrow Wilson optimistically called it, failed woefully in achieving that goal, to the point where the historian Adam Hochschild titled his acclaimed recent book about the period "To End All Wars".

The New York Times

And it failed woefully at saying what needed to be said.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Representatives of some 44 nations gathered in July 1944 at Bretton Woods, a resort spot in New Hampshire, to hammer out a world monetary system, replacing the gold standard that had failed so woefully.

The New York Times

Yet Labour's Treasury team has woefully failed to challenge Osborne's flawed economic strategy.

The Guardian

Brazil has a history of major economic schemes that woefully failed.

The New York Times - Magazine

His administration has woefully failed to defeat an insurgency by Boko Haram, an Islamist extremist group that has tormented Nigeria's north-east over the past few years.

The Economist

Leaving aside such disincentives as pervasive corruption, maddening bureaucracy and organised crime, there is the question whether the government's plans for the labour market will do enough to stimulate the growth Italy has so woefully failed to generate.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "failed woefully" to emphasize the extent and severity of a failure. It's stronger than simply saying "failed".

Common error

Avoid using "failed woefully" excessively in formal or academic writing, where more neutral language might be preferred. Consider using phrases like "did not succeed" or "was unsuccessful" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failed woefully" functions as a verb phrase, where "failed" is the main verb and "woefully" is an adverb modifying the verb to intensify the degree of failure. This emphasizes the magnitude and severity of the failure.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "failed woefully" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, used to emphasize the severity and extent of a failure. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is generally suitable for neutral contexts like news and media, though it may be less appropriate for highly formal academic or scientific writing. While alternatives like "failed miserably", "failed utterly", and "fell woefully short" exist, they carry slightly different nuances. Therefore, writers should carefully consider the context when using this phrase to ensure it aligns with the intended tone and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failed completely

Stresses the comprehensive nature of the failure, leaving no room for partial success.

failed utterly

Underscores the total and irreversible nature of the failure.

was a complete failure

Uses a nominal structure to describe the overall result as a total failure.

failed miserably

Highlights the unfortunate and often embarrassing nature of the failure.

failed abysmally

Illustrates the extreme and profound degree of the failure.

failed dismally

Highlights the bleak and depressing aspect of the failure.

proved to be a fiasco

Indicates that the event or action was a chaotic and embarrassing failure.

fell woefully short

Emphasizes the inadequacy of the result, focusing on not reaching a required standard.

was an unmitigated disaster

Highlights the complete and absolute catastrophic nature of the failure.

collapsed spectacularly

Implies a dramatic and noticeable failure, often involving a large-scale project or plan.

FAQs

How can I use "failed woefully" in a sentence?

You can use "failed woefully" to emphasize the degree of failure, such as, "The project "failed woefully" due to poor planning."

What are some alternatives to saying "failed woefully"?

Alternatives include "failed miserably", "failed utterly", or "fell woefully short", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "failed woefully" too informal for academic writing?

While "failed woefully" is acceptable, it might be perceived as less formal. In academic writing, consider alternatives such as "did not achieve the desired outcome" or "proved unsuccessful" for a more neutral tone.

What's the difference between "failed woefully" and "failed completely"?

"Failed woefully" emphasizes the manner of failure, highlighting its severity, whereas "failed completely" simply stresses the totality of the failure. In essence, "failed completely" focuses on the result, while "failed woefully" focuses on the process or extent.