failure of which

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'failure of which' is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to refer to the failure of something that has previously been mentioned. For example: He had made a promise to attend the meeting, the failure of which was disappointing.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We extensively debated the causes of failure, of which the informed scientific imagination would provide many".

The New York Times

America cannot prevail through the mere deployment of superior wealth and military power, the failure of which is manifest.

The Guardian - Opinion

Stability of all slopes, both natural and artificial, the failure of which could adversely affect the nuclear power plant, shall be considered.

Cornell University

Around 800,000 people in the UK suffer from heart disease or failure, of which 10 to 20 per cent could benefit from stem cell therapy.

The Telegraph

Doubters or disputers of this claim must come up with better evidence than the degree of failure of which we can boast at the last three yearling auctions.

The New York Times

As soon as 19 September 1939, he raised an interest in interrupting Norwegian supplies of iron ore to Germany, the failure of which would perversely propel him into power.

University of California, Berkeley

The point of the movie — though it is never stated explicitly — is that the operation demonstrated not weakness but strength, that it was an exceptionally noble failure of which the country should be proud.

The New Yorker

Romero hasn't been a design lead on an FPS since the ill-fated Daikatana in 2000 – a story in its own right, the failure of which left his reputation in tatters.

The Guardian - Tech

He pursued the detainee policy that has kept al-Qaida recruitment alive and he pushed for the same privatization of social security, the failure of which is commonly held to be George Bush's most obvious domestic misstep.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some of the bolt failures have occurred in "blow-out preventers", the failure of which was responsible for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – the largest oil spill in history, also at a BP well.

The Guardian

There are a limited number of investment banks (or perhaps insurance companies or other firms) the failure of which would be so disturbing as to raise concern about a broader market disruption.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "failure of which" to clearly link the failure back to a previously mentioned noun or concept, ensuring smooth sentence flow and avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid placing long or complex clauses between "failure" and "of which" to prevent confusing the reader. Keep the connection direct and immediate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failure of which" functions as a relative clause introducing information about the consequences or implications of a specific failure. It connects a dependent clause to a main clause by referring back to a noun or concept previously mentioned.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

28%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "failure of which" is a grammatically sound phrase used to link the failure of a previously mentioned concept to its consequences. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and usability. This phrase sees prevalent use in academic, scientific, and news contexts, indicating a neutral-to-formal register. To maintain clarity, ensure the phrase directly follows the noun it modifies, avoiding lengthy intervening clauses. Alternatives include "whose failure" for conciseness. With its frequent presence across authoritative sources, "failure of which" remains a valuable tool for precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

whose failure

More concise alternative, directly linking the failure to a preceding noun.

of which the failure

Inverts the structure, emphasizing "the failure" as the subject.

the non-occurrence of which

More formal and emphasizes the lack of an event rather than a failure.

if that fails

Simplifies to a conditional statement about failure.

should that fail

A more formal conditional alternative to "if that fails".

in the event of its failure

Emphasizes a potential failure and its consequences.

the defeat of which

Replaces "failure" with "defeat", implying active opposition.

the collapse of which

Substitutes "failure" with "collapse", suggesting a more dramatic breakdown.

the breakdown of which

Replaces "failure" with "breakdown", implying a system or process stopped working.

the deficiency of which

Replaces "failure" with "deficiency", highlighting a lack or inadequacy.

FAQs

How can I use "failure of which" in a sentence?

Use "failure of which" to refer back to a previously mentioned noun whose failure has consequences. For example, "The system requires regular maintenance, the "failure of which" leads to system downtime."

What are some alternatives to "failure of which"?

Alternatives include "whose failure", "of which the failure", or rephrasing the sentence to use a simpler construction, such as "if it fails".

Is it better to use "failure of which" or "whose failure"?

Both are grammatically correct. "Whose failure" is more concise, while "failure of which" can sometimes provide a clearer connection to the antecedent noun, depending on sentence structure.

What's the difference between "failure of which" and "in the event of failure"?

"Failure of which" refers back to a specific, already mentioned entity's potential failure. "In the event of failure" /s/in+the+event+of+failure is a more general statement about what happens if something fails, without necessarily referring to a specific previously mentioned noun.