versagt

Versagt is a German verb form related to versagen, meaning to fail, to malfunction, or to refuse. In everyday language it describes someone who fails at a task (Er versagt unter Druck) or the functioning of a device or system (Die Maschine versagt). It can also refer to plans or attempts that do not come to fruition (Der Plan hat versagt). The word appears in different tenses: versagt as the third-person singular present tense, and versagt as the past participle used with haben (Die Maschine hat versagt).

As a noun, das Versagen denotes the act or state of failing or malfunctioning. It can refer to a technical breakdown (das Versagen der Maschine) or to a lapse in performance or responsibility in a broader sense. The noun often carries a evaluative nuance, highlighting a shortcoming or fault.

Etymology: versagen is formed with the prefix ver- and the verb sagen; over time, the sense shifted toward meaning failure or malfunction rather than literal speaking. Related terms include scheitern (to fail) and Fehlfunktion (malfunction).

Usage notes: versagt is commonly used for abrupt or complete failure rather than gradual decline. It can describe people under pressure, technical systems, or organizational plans. The related noun Versagen is used in technical, medical, or formal contexts to discuss failure as an event or condition.

See also: Versagen (Nomen), Scheitern, Fehlfunktion. In English translations, versagt is typically rendered as “has failed” or “has malfunctioned.”