failure to operate

USAGE SUMMARY

"failure to operate" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe a situation in which something does not function or work as intended or expected. Example: The company experienced a significant loss due to the failure to operate their machinery properly.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Violations ranged from failure to operate at least 30 hours a week to failure to staff the operation during the posted hours.

Los Angeles Times

He also found that half of that unused capacity was caused by factors including a failure to operate the pipeline at a high enough pressure and nonessential maintenance that could have been done at other times.

The New York Times

In this court they have adhered to that position, with the qualification that, in the circumstances shown, the company may not be compelled to operate the road, but may be made to respond in damages to the state for a failure to operate it.

Cornell University

The relatives of some of those who died say that faith was betrayed twice: once by Bond's failure to operate "by the book" and again by a failure to bring anyone to justice.

BBC

But that's all Kinect drama, and that's not what I'm trying to focus on here (thought the peripheral's failure to operate as expected is substantial problem for the system nonetheless).

Forbes

For example, a failure to operate could result in a wide area disturbance going unchecked, most probably leading to a blackout, and operating unnecessarily could cause a blackout when the system was operating in a healthy condition.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Overall, task failures are principally failures to provide adequate technical safety barriers and failures to operate provided barriers appropriately.

Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries

Fixing that will make it harder – impossible really – for the airlines to continue blaming the air traffic control system for their own egregious failures to operate on time.

Forbes

For example, sliding between alpha-helical constituents (e.g. in tetramers or larger-scale protein assemblies) could be an important failure mechanism, which would prevent the immediate drop of the stress to zero as assumed here once this failure mode begins to operate.

Plosone

In case of partial failure, the servers continue to operate but their failure rate increases which further leads to fully failure state of the system.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

The thief wrongly believed that under the state's "Baby Lindbergh" law he faced the death penalty already for kidnapping the officer (who had stopped the theif and his colleague escaping from a crime quite by accident), but that understandable failure of deterrence to operate perfectly hardly excuses the crime.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "failure to operate", ensure the context clearly indicates what is failing and the consequences of that failure. Providing specific details enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "failure to operate" without specifying what system or process is affected. For example, instead of saying "the failure to operate caused problems", specify "the failure to operate the cooling system caused overheating".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failure to operate" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes the instance or state of something not functioning correctly, as seen in Ludwig's examples from news, science, and academic sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "failure to operate" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe instances where something does not function as intended. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is commonly used across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. While generally neutral in tone, its technical applications lean toward formality. To ensure clarity, always specify what is failing and the consequences of that failure. Alternatives like "inability to function" or "malfunctioning" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. The phrase is a versatile way to describe a wide range of operational problems.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inability to function

Focuses on the lack of capacity rather than the act of failing.

malfunctioning

Specifically indicates that something is not working correctly.

operational failure

Reverses the order, emphasizing the 'operational' aspect.

non-operation

More technical, highlighting the absence of operation.

failure to work

Uses a more common synonym for operate, making it less formal.

breakdown in operation

Emphasizes a sudden stop or disruption in the operational process.

cessation of activity

Highlights the complete stop of actions or processes.

system malfunction

Specifically refers to a problem within a system's functionality.

technical fault

Highlights a technical problem as the reason for the non-operation.

functional impairment

Focuses on a reduced ability to perform required functions.

FAQs

How can I use "failure to operate" in a sentence?

You can use "failure to operate" to describe instances where a system, device, or process does not function as intended. For example: "The power plant's "failure to operate" led to widespread blackouts."

What are some alternatives to "failure to operate"?

Some alternatives to "failure to operate" include "inability to function", "malfunctioning", or "operational failure", depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "failure to operate" and "operational failure"?

"Failure to operate" emphasizes the action of failing, while "operational failure" puts more focus on the resulting state of the operation being a failure. The choice often depends on which aspect you want to highlight.

In what contexts is "failure to operate" most commonly used?

"Failure to operate" is commonly used in technical, scientific, and news contexts when discussing malfunctions, breakdowns, or inabilities of systems or equipment to function as intended.