fails

Fails refer to instances in which an attempt to achieve a goal ends unsuccessfully. The term is informal and often used to describe mistakes, miscalculations, or malfunctions across fields such as technology, sports, writing, and daily life. In online culture, "fail" is also used as a label for humorous or embarrassing outcomes.

The word stems from the verb fail, with the meme usage "epic fail" popularizing in the early 2000s as user-generated videos and captions highlighted dramatic mistakes. Since then, failures have been organized and discussed as topics of critique, humor, and learning in various communities.

Fails can be categorized by context: technical fails involve devices or systems that do not perform as intended; human fails stem from errors in judgment or execution; social fails arise from awkward or inappropriate behavior. In business and software development, related concepts such as fail-fast and fail-safe describe different approaches to risk and resilience.

The internet has amplified the visibility of fails through compilations, memes, and social-media commentary. While some discussions celebrate clever or entertaining mistakes, others warn against shaming individuals. In educational and professional settings, analyzing failures can provide lessons on design, process, and safety.