failed

Failed is the past participle of the verb fail. As an adjective, it describes something that did not achieve its intended result or did not function as expected. It is used to qualify actions, plans, processes, or objects that did not meet required standards, and occurs in phrases such as a failed attempt, a failed project, a failed experiment, or a failed negotiation. In everyday language it can carry a pejorative nuance, or simply report an outcome without judgment depending on context.

Etymology and usage: The word originates in the Germanic linguistic sphere and entered English through Old French falir/faillir during the Middle English period, with the core sense of not meeting a standard or expectation. The related noun form is failure, and the verb form has a cognate in other Romance and Germanic languages. The semantic field includes deficiency, collapse, or malfunction rather than merely "to fall."

Contexts: The term is widely used across domains. In politics or international relations, a "failed state" describes a government unable to maintain basic governance. In science and engineering, a failed experiment or test results when predetermined criteria are not met. In business, a failed project or investment indicates outcomes not achieving goals. In everyday life, people may refer to a failed plan, failed relationship, or failed attempt to achieve a goal.

Technology and data: In computing and quality assurance, a test or process can fail and generate error codes or logs. The noun 'failure' is commonly used for a state or event of not meeting requirements; 'failed' remains the descriptive form.

See also: failure, unsuccessful, failure rate, failing.