he failed to send

USAGE SUMMARY

"he failed to send" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing someone's inability to send something, such as a message or document. Example: "He failed to send the report by the deadline." Alternative expressions include "he did not send" and "he neglected to send."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"But then last month he failed to send me the money because of Westpac closing accounts.

The Guardian

He failed to send off, or even show a yellow card, to Diego Milito for a horrendous foul that left a mark above the knee of Angelo Palombo.

The New York Times - Sports

Cooper said of Green, "He was a horrible slob, and he didn't do his job all that well," recalling that he failed to send out checks to freelancers.

The New Yorker

A year ago he had almost quit after a bizarrely inept performance at the World Cup in Germany, when he failed to send off Croatia's Josip Simunic against Australia until he had shown him three yellow cards.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

He warned victims — falsely — that if they failed to send the money they could face legal action, including arrest.

The Washington Post

Nor was Dives in hell because he had failed to send alms to Lazarus.

The New York Times

"He also failed to send the message that sexual assault is against the law regardless of social class, race, gender or other factors".

Huffington Post

More than a year and a half later, the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the voters who challenged the Kansas law, filed a motion to hold Kobach in contempt, saying he had failed to send out the postcards and update the county election manual to reflect Robinson's 2016 order.

Huffington Post

He said O'Connor failed to send an aide or even acknowledge his invitation, even though he spoke with Chris Cameron, one of the mayor's underlings, "several times". "I'm hurt," Weinhold said.

Los Angeles Times

Furthermore, Bennett may have lost interest and forgotten about the whole project, for when Stanley arrived in Zanzibar, the jumping-off point for his expedition, he found that Bennett had failed to send promised money for supplies.

The New Yorker

On both occasions, he added, the pump had failed to send waste from the development to a sewage treatment plant, and instead spewed it into a city storm sewer that empties into the creek.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ this phrase in professional or journalistic writing to maintain a neutral but precise tone regarding a missed action.

Common error

Do not use "he failed to send" in casual conversation for minor oversights like forgetting a text message, as it can sound overly dramatic or accusatory. Use "he didn't send" for everyday contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he failed to send" functions as a declarative clause consisting of a third-person singular subject followed by a past tense verb and a to-infinitive. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to report a non-event where an action was anticipated.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he failed to send" is a grammatically correct and effective way to describe an omission in a formal or professional context. Data from Ludwig indicates that while the exact match is relatively specific, the structure is a common feature of quality journalism and scientific documentation. It carries a stronger connotation of missed duty than simple alternatives like "he did not send", making it ideal for reporting on legal, financial or technical lapses. Whether discussing a referee's missed call or a missed tax return, this phrase provides a clear, objective account of a failure to perform a required action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he neglected to send

Implies a lack of proper care or attention to a duty.

he omitted to send

Sounds more formal and neutral regarding the reason for the failure.

he did not send

A simple, factual statement without the connotation of failure.

he forgot to send

Specifies a memory lapse as the specific cause.

he failed in sending

Focuses more on the process of transmission rather than the result.

he was unable to send

Suggests an external or internal incapacity rather than a simple failure.

he missed sending

Often used for scheduled events or regular updates.

he withheld from sending

Suggests a deliberate choice not to send something.

he refrained from sending

Indicates a conscious decision to hold back for a specific reason.

he avoided sending

Implies an intentional effort to dodge the task.

FAQs

How do I use "he failed to send" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a missed task, such as: "Despite the deadline, he failed to send the requested documents."

What is a more formal way to say "he failed to send"?

Depending on the intent, you could use "he neglected to send" or "he omitted to send".

What is the difference between "he failed to send" and "he didn't send"?

The phrase "he failed to send" implies a missed expectation or a duty that was not fulfilled, whereas "he did not send" is a neutral statement of fact.

Can I use "he failed to send" for technical errors?

Yes, it is commonly used for automated processes, such as "the server encountered an error and he failed to send the notification" (if referring to a personified system or a specific user).