save failing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "save failing" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of preserving something that is failing, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "We need to find a way to save failing projects before they impact our overall success."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In a typical "Nathan for You" episode, he plays (is?) a consultant helping to save failing businesses, except that his fixes always involve excursions into Swiftian absurdity.

The New Yorker

At their meeting on Tuesday, ministers were still divided on whether to create a single body that would decide when to shut down, or save, failing banks, and whether some of the costs should be shared among euro area countries.

The New York Times

As New York's hospitals suffer through financial losses and closings, a deal struck this week to sell two foundering hospitals in Queens offers a stark lesson in how hard it is to save failing hospitals.

The New York Times

In particular, he argued that the Fed could have prevented the Great Depression — with no need for new government programs — if only it had acted to save failing banks and pumped enough reserves into the banking system to prevent a sharp decline in the money supply.

The New York Times

On education, where he speaks with some authority as a former president of the Board of Education, he is a moderate reformer: for charter schools, the Common Core and testing accountability, but for attempting to save failing schools before closing them, and for treating teachers as partners in reform rather than intransigent slackers.

The New York Times

Addressing complaints by small banks that they were taking on too much of the financial burden to save failing banks, the law directed the F.D.I.C. to re-evaluate the fees according to the value of assets held by each bank, instead of the level of deposits.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

"We tend to be biased toward saving failing firms," said Michelle J. White, an economics professor at the University of California at San Diego.

The New York Times

The government knew what it was doing — at least the economic experts were saying so — and the Treasury had taken a stand against saving failing firms, letting Lehman Brothers file for bankruptcy.

The New York Times

Outrage at saving failing institutions without reform is justified.

Huffington Post

We recognize that no voucher program can save a failing public system.

The New York Times

So fiscal integration is being pushed not to preserve freedom and a new nation, but to save a failing currency.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "save failing" is sometimes used, consider more grammatically sound alternatives like "save failing projects" or "rescue struggling businesses" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "failing" directly after "save" without a noun. The phrase is grammatically awkward. Consider using a noun after "failing" to clarify what is failing (e.g., "save failing companies").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "save failing" acts as a verb phrase followed by an adjective. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase alone is grammatically incorrect and requires a noun to clarify what exactly is facing failure. Examples: "save failing businesses" or "save failing projects".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "save failing" appears in various contexts, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incomplete and potentially awkward. The phrase is more commonly found in News & Media, it often requires a noun to clarify the subject of failure, such as "save failing businesses" or "save failing economies". For clarity and grammatical correctness, consider using more precise alternatives like "rescue struggling", "salvage declining", or "improve failing" along with the relevant noun. Always ensure the phrase is clear and contextually appropriate for your intended audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

improve failing

More direct substitution, focusing on enhancing what isn't succeeding.

rescue floundering

Replaces "failing" with "floundering" to emphasize struggling.

salvage struggling

Substitutes "save" with "salvage" and "failing" with "struggling", focusing on recovering something from a bad situation.

fix failing

Informal phrasing suggesting repair or mending.

aid declining

Uses "aid" instead of "save" and "declining" for "failing", suggesting assistance to something deteriorating.

support faltering

Employs "support" to replace "save", and "faltering" instead of "failing", highlighting the need for backing.

correct failing

Focuses on rectifying the causes of failure.

revive collapsing

Uses "revive" for "save" and "collapsing" for "failing", focusing on bringing something back to life.

turn around struggling

Replaces the original phrase with an idiom that means to improve a bad situation.

address failing

Highlights taking action to resolve the failure.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "save failing" to be more grammatically correct?

Consider using phrases like "save failing businesses", "rescue failing projects", or "improve failing grades" depending on the context.

What is a more formal alternative to "save failing"?

Formal alternatives include "salvage struggling enterprises" or "rectify declining performance". These phrases are suitable for professional or academic settings.

Is "save failing" grammatically correct?

No, "save failing" is not grammatically correct on its own. It requires a noun to clarify what is being saved from failure. For example, "save failing institutions" is grammatically sound.

In what contexts might I encounter the phrase "save failing"?

You might encounter "save failing" in news articles or informal discussions about economic or political issues, but it's often phrased more clearly as "save failing economies" or similar constructions.