failing
noun
Failing — falling short of the minimum standard required for success
Definition
Failure to reach a minimum required performance; "his failing the course led to his disqualification"; "he got two flunks on his report"
In depth
Failing names the failure to reach a minimum required performance, the specific shortfall against a defined threshold rather than a general sense of unmet expectation. The word implies a clear, often measurable standard that was simply not met, whether in academic, professional, or evaluative contexts.
Origin
The word shares its root with 'failure,' both descending from Latin fallere, to deceive or disappoint. Its grammatical form as a gerund, naming the specific act of falling short rather than the broader state of failure, lends it particular precision in contexts measuring performance against an explicit, predetermined standard.
Usage examples
"His failing the course led directly to his disqualification from the scholarship program."
"The bridge's failing of the structural inspection forced an immediate and costly closure."
"Failing to meet the deadline carried consequences far more serious than she had initially anticipated."
How to use it
Failing is precise vocabulary for not meeting a specific, defined standard, particularly common in academic, regulatory, and evaluative writing where a clear minimum threshold has been established and clearly not achieved.
Related concepts
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