failing, weakness (noun)

a flaw or weak point

"he was quick to point out his wife's failings"

failing, flunk (adj)

failure to reach a minimum required performance

"his failing the course led to his disqualification"; "he got two flunks on his report"

failing (adj)

below acceptable in performance

"received failing grades"

failing (Noun)

weakness; defect

failing (Preposition)

if the preferred or prior option is not possible

failing

Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One person might consider a failure what another person considers a success, particularly in cases of direct competition or a zero-sum game. Similarly, the degree of success or failure in a situation may be differently viewed by distinct observers or participants, such that a situation that one considers to be a failure, another might consider to be a success, a qualified success or a neutral situation. It may also be difficult or impossible to ascertain whether a situation meets criteria for failure or success due to ambiguous or ill-defined definition of those criteria. Finding useful and effective criteria, or heuristics, to judge the success or failure of a situation may itself be a significant task.