as in reliable
not likely to fail
flowers have been traditionally regarded as the fail-safe gift for Valentine's Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in precaution
a measure taken to preclude loss or injury
there are so many fail-safes built into the system that a highly unlikely series of mistakes would have to be made before failure could occur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fail-safe
Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
But shutting off the local media is hardly a fail-safe way to ward off scrutiny or protect one’s reputation.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 22 Nov. 2024
Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Shop Now 10 Navy Blue In areas with strict historic guidelines, navy blue is often a fail-safe.
—Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Adjective
Click through our links down below to find a whole lot of giftable deals on fail-safe winter fashion that are available only through the weekend.
—Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
But shutting off the local media is hardly a fail-safe way to ward off scrutiny or protect one’s reputation.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
The idea was to make bank oversight both stricter and more fail-safe.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2023
Shop Now 10 Navy Blue In areas with strict historic guidelines, navy blue is often a fail-safe.
—Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 17 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fail-safe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fail-safe
Adjective
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Furthering its commitment to sustainable infrastructure, the company announced plans to expand its ultra-fast charging network internationally to help address the increasing demand for fast and reliable EV charging solutions.—
Lyubov Artemenko,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Record sales have become a less reliable source of income for artists.—
Sara Chernikoff,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Euless police said that students were evacuated as a precaution because of a bomb threat.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2025
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Experts say vaccination would need to be managed with strict biosecurity measures — extra precautions to prevent vaccinated birds from becoming infected — to reduce the risk of genetic changes in the virus.—
Alexander Tin,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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On one of those chances, credit Kevin Korchinski, who rode Ovechkin’s hip on what looked like a surefire backdoor opportunity for the record-breaker.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
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Instead of urging vaccination against the disease, an almost surefire way to prevent infection, Kennedy has blamed malnourishment for the outbreak, promoted unproven treatments for measles, and falsely claimed in one Fox News interview that the vaccine is ineffective and even dangerous.—
Kff Health News,
Orange County Register,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Padlocks, sickles and other objects made of iron, a metal said to possess anti-demonic powers, were stashed in the grave as preventives.—
Franz Lidz,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2023
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But although human vaccines function primarily as preventives, offering immunity to animals such as black-footed ferrets can be a conservation strategy of last resort.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2023
Adjective
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Advanced Navigation View 2 Images Even though most of today's aircraft rely heavily on GPS for navigation, the technology is far from infallible.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
4 Dec. 2024
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Authentic leadership fosters trust and connection, yet many leaders feel compelled to hide behind an infallible persona.—
Imamu "Mu" Tomlinson,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fail-safe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fail-safe. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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