obvious failure

USAGE SUMMARY

"obvious failure" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which the result is clearly worse than what was expected. For example, "John's attempt at cooking was an obvious failure; the food was inedible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Ten years later, they're an obvious failure".

The New York Times

Powell's name commands awe despite his obvious failure.

The Guardian - Opinion

The last thing she and her colleagues want is an obvious failure in the forecast models.

The Washington Post

Americans are far too angry at Wall Street and the obvious failure of government regulations.

The New York Times

The Clinton Administration was not an obvious failure; on the contrary, it was rather successful, overall.

The New Yorker

Quickly pulling the plug on an obvious failure makes sense, although it can be embarrassing.

The New York Times - Tech

His most obvious failure was in not confronting the growing disaster of Aids.

Independent

The coating remained intact during the two kinds of tests and no obvious failure was found.

Carbon

Finally, they call for regulation of drugs to replace "the obvious failure of most existing drug laws".

The Guardian

Each evaluated PET study could be registered to at least one synthetic PET target without obvious failure.

NeuroImage

One obvious failure of the paper's coverage: Until about 10 days ago, its news articles hadn't mentioned the names of the American ports involved.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "obvious failure" when you want to emphasize that something has clearly not succeeded, and the lack of success is easily apparent. It adds weight to your assessment.

Common error

While effective, overuse of "obvious failure" can make your writing sound repetitive. Consider using synonyms or rephrasing to maintain variety and reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obvious failure" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "obvious" modifies the noun "failure". It describes a state or situation characterized by a readily apparent lack of success. Ludwig provides examples from various sources to illustrate this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

28%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "obvious failure" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase that describes a situation where the lack of success is easily apparent. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable phrase. It's most frequently found in news and media contexts, but it also appears in scientific and academic writing. While the phrase is versatile, varying your language is crucial. Consider alternatives like "clear-cut failure" or "evident failure" to add nuance. By understanding the context and potential synonyms, you can use "obvious failure" effectively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clear-cut failure

Replaces "obvious" with "clear-cut", emphasizing the lack of ambiguity in the failure.

evident failure

Substitutes "obvious" with "evident", highlighting the readily apparent nature of the failure.

conspicuous failure

Uses "conspicuous" instead of "obvious", suggesting the failure is easily noticeable and stands out.

plain failure

Replaces "obvious" with "plain", indicating a simple and straightforward case of failure.

unmistakable failure

Emphasizes the lack of doubt or uncertainty surrounding the failure.

blatant failure

Suggests the failure is not only obvious but also brazen or unashamed.

resounding failure

Implies a complete and far-reaching failure.

undeniable failure

Highlights that the failure is impossible to dispute or deny.

unequivocal failure

Indicates a failure that is clear and unambiguous.

patent failure

Uses "patent" to emphasize the readily visible and easily recognized nature of the failure.

FAQs

How can I use "obvious failure" in a sentence?

You can use "obvious failure" to describe a situation where the lack of success is easily seen or understood. For example, "The company's marketing campaign was an "obvious failure" because sales remained low."

What are some alternatives to "obvious failure"?

Alternatives to "obvious failure" include phrases like "clear-cut failure", "evident failure", or "conspicuous failure", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "obvious failure" formal or informal?

"Obvious failure" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though more formal settings may benefit from alternatives like "resounding failure".

What makes something an "obvious failure"?

An "obvious failure" is characterized by easily noticeable signs of not achieving the intended outcome, often accompanied by readily apparent reasons for the lack of success. Think of situations where the negative result is undeniable.