patently fail

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "patently fail" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something clearly or obviously fails to meet expectations or standards. Example: "The project was supposed to revolutionize the industry, but it patently failed to deliver any significant results."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"More than anything, they want to know that the NHS learns from tragedies such as what happened to Connor Sparrowhawk, and that is something we patently fail to do on too many occasions… There is an urgent need to improve the investigation of, and learning from, the estimated 200 avoidable deaths we have every week across the system".

The Guardian

Often their words patently fail to capture the emotional intensity of events.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

First, the offer of partnership for modernisation has patently failed.

The Economist

Attempts at changing North Korean behaviour have so far patently failed.

The Economist

Mr Brown has patently failed to deliver the "renewal" of Labour that he promised in 2007.

The Guardian - Opinion

Labour for its part, when the competitive market has patently failed, is now asserting it wants more competition.

The Guardian - Opinion

How, for example, might Iraq be made to disarm by peaceful means, when peaceful means have so patently failed over 12 years and 17 previous resolutions?

The Economist

We are promised yet more years of austerity by a chancellor whose "plan" to eliminate the deficit has so far patently failed.

The Guardian - Business

He had patently failed to keep the biggest promise he made to the German people in his first term of office that he would bring unemployment down from 4m (around 9% of the workforce) to below 3.5m.

The Economist

It has patently failed to end or even soften the regime's crackdown.Under the league's plan, Mr Assad agreed to remove tanks from the towns, to free all political detainees and to talk to the opposition.

The Economist

Turmoil in Tibet sets a dangerous example to other restive minorities in the Chinese empire, such as those in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.Above all, harsh attempts to stamp out Tibetan nationalism have patently failed.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer active voice construction with "patently fail" to make your writing concise and impactful.

Common error

While "patently fail" is grammatically correct, reserve it for formal writing or situations where a strong emphasis on the obviousness of the failure is needed. In casual conversation, simpler phrases like "clearly failed" or "obviously didn't work" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "patently fail" functions as a verb phrase indicating a clear and obvious lack of success. As Ludwig highlights, it's used when something demonstrably does not meet expectations. The word "patently" acts as an adverb, modifying the verb "fail" to emphasize the undeniable nature of the failure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "patently fail" is used to describe something that obviously and undeniably fails. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. It is suitable for formal and neutral contexts, emphasizing the clear and indisputable nature of a failure. While less common than alternatives like "obviously fail", "patently fail" offers a stronger emphasis. The phrase is more frequently found in news and media sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obviously not succeed

Replaces "patently" with "obviously" and restructures the sentence while retaining the core meaning of failure.

clearly be unsuccessful

Substitutes "patently" with "clearly" and uses "be unsuccessful" to convey the lack of success.

evidently fall short

Uses "evidently" instead of "patently" and "fall short" to suggest a failure to reach a required standard.

demonstrably not work

Emphasizes that the failure can be shown or proven, using "demonstrably" and "not work".

plainly not deliver

Replaces "patently" with "plainly" and employs "not deliver" to focus on the failure to produce expected results.

unmistakably be a failure

Highlights the certainty of the failure, making it impossible to misinterpret.

distinctly prove ineffective

Stresses that the lack of effectiveness is clear and noticeable.

noticeably be in vain

Suggests that efforts were fruitless, with the failure being easily observed.

visibly not achieve

Focuses on the readily apparent lack of accomplishment or attainment.

remarkably be without success

Emphasizes the conspicuous absence of any positive outcome or achievement.

FAQs

How can I use "patently fail" in a sentence?

You can use "patently fail" to describe something that has clearly and obviously not succeeded. For example, "The strategy to increase sales "patently failed", as numbers continued to decline".

What are some alternatives to "patently fail"?

Some alternatives to "patently fail" include phrases like "obviously not succeed", "clearly be unsuccessful", or "evidently fall short".

Is it better to say "patently fail" or "obviously fail"?

"Patently fail" and "obviously fail" are similar, but "patently" adds a stronger emphasis on the undeniable nature of the failure. Choose "patently fail" when you want to highlight that the failure is beyond any doubt, while "obviously fail" is suitable for general use.

What does "patently" mean in the context of "patently fail"?

In the context of "patently fail", "patently" means clearly, obviously, or undeniably. It emphasizes that the failure is readily apparent and beyond dispute.