as in weaknesses
a defect in character
we could talk about your failings, but it would take all night
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Recent Examples of failings
Emery’s instructions were both too late and encapsulated the failings of his side.
—
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Now it had been relegated again to a leftist cause, a symbol of anti-imperial resistance for some and the face of communism’s failings for others.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
The owner of the daycare, and the center itself, are also due to be sentenced after admitting safety failings, per the BBC and The Independent.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.
—Douglas Hanks
april 1, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Now it had been relegated again to a leftist cause, a symbol of anti-imperial resistance for some and the face of communism’s failings for others.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
The owner of the daycare, and the center itself, are also due to be sentenced after admitting safety failings, per the BBC and The Independent.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Nicole Tallman’s job as a senior staffer under Miami-Dade County’s mayor puts her on the frontlines of county government’s many failings, mishaps and challenges.
—Douglas Hanks
april 1, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Before 1956, addiction to drugs and alcohol were considered failings in morality or personal will.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Diana Freed, assistant professor at Brown University, and PHD student Julio Poveda explained how even chatbots tailored at helping domestic abuse survivors can be rife with privacy failings.
—Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for failings
Noun
-
The actual severity of any shortcomings at OpenAI and how far any weaknesses could spread remain open questions, Yardeni said.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Different types of grass have different strengths and weaknesses.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This will mean that the US can produce the B-21 in numbers faster, but any undiscovered faults with the design could cause major headaches down the line.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
While not a precise scientific designation, a megaquake is generally considered a large seismic event placed at an eight or higher on the Richter scale that ruptures along major faults and can trigger further events like tsunamis.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are worse sins in the world.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Believers confess their sins to a priest, receive spiritual guidance and absolution and typically are required to make an act of contrition like saying specific prayers.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the attempt has revealed shortcomings and vulnerabilities that were waiting to be exploited—and can no longer be ignored.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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The third-year quarterback masked a number of the team’s roster deficiencies in his rookie season, but the combination of injuries, a tougher schedule and roster shortcomings derailed his second season.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Failings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/failings. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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