How to Pronounce Fail

To pronounce "fail", say FAIL — one syllable, IPA /feɪl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

fail

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying fail, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

1

Syllable

4

Letters

/feɪl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “fail”

"fail" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with wail and gale, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: faile — easy to mix up when writing.

What does fail mean?

noun

  1. Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

    “The project was full of fail.”

  2. A failure (condition of being unsuccessful)

verb

  1. To be unsuccessful.

    “Throughout my life, I have always failed.”

  2. Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

    “The truck failed to start.”

adjective

  1. That is a failure.

Synonyms

fall on one's faceflunk

Antonyms

succeed

Words that rhyme with fail

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

wailgaleavailfrailassailtravailprevailentailstaleunveilailbale

Related words

flunkmiscarryneglectdiebetraybreak

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "fail"?▾

"Fail" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "fail"?▾

The IPA transcription of "fail" is /feɪl/.

What does "fail" mean?▾

Fail: Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “fail” in the full dictionary →