gagal

Gagal is a word in Indonesian and Malay meaning "failed" or "unsuccessful." It is an adjective used to describe an attempt, plan, project, or event that did not achieve its intended outcome. The standard noun form for the concept of failure is kegagalan, used in more formal or technical contexts.

Gagal can modify nouns directly, as in phrases like "usaha gagal" (a failed effort) or "proyek gagal" (a failed project). It is commonly used in everyday speech, journalism, and formal writing to report outcomes that did not go as planned. In broader discourse, related expressions such as "gagal total" (total failure) are also encountered.

Regional usage and nuance: the term is widely understood in Indonesia and Malaysia and is also used in other Malay-speaking communities, including Brunei and Singapore. While its core meaning remains the same, speakers may pair gagal with qualifiers to soften tone or to emphasize severity, depending on context.

Pronunciation is typically rendered as [ɡa.ɡal]. Etymologically, gagal is a native Malay and Indonesian lexical item and is part of the standard vocabulary in both languages. See also kegagalan for the related noun form.