How to Pronounce Fail-safe

To pronounce "fail-safe", say FAILS-af-e — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈfeɪlˌseɪf/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

fail-safe

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Accent

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3

Syllables

9

Letters

/ˈfeɪlˌseɪf/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “fail-safe”

"fail-safe" has 3 syllables: fails-af-e.

What does fail-safe mean?

noun

  1. A device, mechanism or measure designed to make something fail-safe.

verb

  1. To compensate automatically, in the event of a failure.
  2. To make a device or mechanism fail-safe, or to add a fail-safe device or mechanism to an existing system.

adjective

  1. That does not cause undue damage in the event of failure.

    “The system is failsafe, because everything is backed up automatically.”

  2. Designed to shut off for safety if an emergency occurs.

Related words

securesafefailsafebullet-proofsafetysecurityneglectproofnondestructive

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "fail-safe"?▾

"Fail-safe" has 3 syllables: fails · af · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "fail-safe"?▾

The IPA transcription of "fail-safe" is /ˈfeɪlˌseɪf/.

What does "fail-safe" mean?▾

Fail-safe: A device, mechanism or measure designed to make something fail-safe.

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