Failure & Defeat Vocabulary

a sudden and complete disaster or failure

“The product launch was a complete debacle.”

Origin: French débâcle `breaking up of ice, stampede`, from débâcler `to unbar`

a complete failure, especially a ludicrous one

“The event turned into an embarrassing fiasco.”

Origin: Italian fiasco `bottle, flask`; theatrical slang fare fiasco `make a bottle` meaning `fail in performance`

an event causing great damage or suffering

“The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.”

Origin: Greek katastrophē `overturning, sudden turn`, from kata- `down` + strophē `turning`

an event causing great distress or misfortune

“The earthquake was a calamity of epic proportions.”

Origin: Latin calamitas `damage, loss, disaster`, possibly from calamus `stalk` (crops damaged by hail)

a loss of power, prosperity, or status

“Pride was his ultimate downfall.”

Origin: Old English dūne `down` + feallan `to fall`

the end or failure of an enterprise

“The demise of the company shocked the industry.”

Origin: Latin dimittere `send away, dismiss`, via Old French demise `transferred`

a sudden failure or breakdown

“The collapse of negotiations disappointed everyone.”

Origin: Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi `fall together`, from com- `together` + labi `to slip`

the complete destruction or downfall of something

“Gambling led to his financial ruin.”

Origin: Latin ruina `a collapse`, from ruere `to rush, fall`

a cause of someone's failure or downfall

“Overconfidence proved to be his undoing.”

Origin: Old English un- `reversal` + dōn `to do`; literally `reversing what is done`

a long-standing rival; a cause of downfall

“Hubris was the hero's nemesis in Greek tragedy.”

Origin: Greek Nemesis, goddess of retribution, from nemein `give what is due`

the lowest point in fortune or achievement

“The team reached its nadir with ten consecutive losses.”

Origin: Arabic naẓīr `opposite (to the zenith)`, from naẓara `to see`

a deep chasm; a catastrophic situation

“The economy teetered on the edge of the abyss.”

Origin: Greek abyssos `bottomless`, from a- `without` + byssos `depth`

an awkward or complex situation difficult to escape

“The project became a financial quagmire.”

Origin: quag `bog, marsh` (possibly from Old English cwabba `to shake`) + mire `swampy ground`

a complicated or confused situation

“The legal morass took years to resolve.”

Origin: Dutch moeras `marsh, fen`, from Old French marais `marsh`

a state of total disorder

“The office was in shambles after the reorganization.”

Origin: Old English scamol `stool, table`; originally `meat market`, from Latin scamellum `small bench`

a false or absurd representation of something

“The trial was a travesty of justice.”

Origin: French travesti `disguised`, from Italian travestire, from trans- `across` + vestire `to clothe`

incapable of producing any useful result; pointless

“Resistance proved futile against the overwhelming force.”

Origin: Latin futilis `leaky, vain, worthless`, from fundere `to pour`

failing to produce the intended result

“Several abortive attempts preceded the successful launch.”

Origin: Latin abortivus, from aboriri `miscarry`, from ab- `away` + oriri `be born`

having failed before beginning; never implemented

“The reform initiative was stillborn due to lack of support.”

Origin: Middle English stille `motionless, quiet` + boren `born`; literally `born dead`

public shame or disgrace

“He feared the ignominy of being fired.”

Origin: Latin ignominia `loss of good name`, from in- `not` + nomen `name`

the state of being unable to pay debts owed

“The company faced insolvency after the market crash.”

Origin: Latin in- `not` + solvere `to loosen, pay`, via French insolvabilité