Cool MateFailure vs Outage
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Failure
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
Outage
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Failure
| Failure | Outage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfeɪljə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfeɪljər/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈaʊteɪdʒ//🇺🇸 //ˈaʊteɪdʒ// |
| Meaning | not succeeding in something | A time when something stops working or is not available. |
| Example | His failure to meet the deadline cost the company a valuable contract. | The power outage lasted for several hours last night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | complete, total, abject, be doomed to, end in, result in, rate, fear of failure, a history of failure, a possibility of failure, big, great, serious, be, represent, prove, arise from something, failure of, fundamental, general, manifest, excuse, justify, constitute, mechanical, structural, technical, cause, lead to, result in, occur, failure in, mechanical, structural, technical, cause, lead to, result in, occur, failure in, mechanical, structural, technical, cause, lead to, result in, occur, failure in | power outage, service outage, internet outage, planned outage, widespread outage |
| Antonyms | success, achievement, victory | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'failure' as a verb instead of a noun., Confusing 'failure' with 'fault,' thinking they mean the same., Not using appropriate prepositions, such as saying 'failure of' instead of 'failure to.' | Confused with 'outreach' - they have different meanings., Using 'outage' with non-specific contexts, it often relates to services., Omitting the context, as 'outage' always needs an identifier, like 'power' or 'internet'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'failure' to describe a lack of success in a specific endeavor. Avoid in very formal documents unless necessary. In casual conversations, 'failure' can sound heavy; people may prefer 'not succeeding.' | Use 'outage' in contexts related to power, internet, or service disruptions. It's neutral and suitable for both written and spoken situations, especially in technical or business contexts. |
Frequently asked questions: Failure vs Outage
What's the difference between Failure and Outage?
Failure: not succeeding in something Outage: A time when something stops working or is not available.
Which is more common: Failure and Outage?
Failure is the most common in everyday English.
Can I use Failure and Outage interchangeably?
Not always. Failure and Outage are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.