Fail
Not work
Fail and not work are semantically related in to malfunction topic. You can use "Fail" instead a verb phrase "Not work".
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
- Mystery Incorporated Fred's traps may or may not work, in the intended way or otherwise, and may fail even if he hadn't explained exactly how they would work.
Source: Unspoken Plan Guarantee - This does not work; a Jerk Jock keeps setting Alex up to fail training exercises until a real problem comes up and they become Fire-Forged Friends.
Source: The Sons and the Spears -
Bullets Do Not Work That Way: Subverted by "Crossroads", where the bullets given to Wilhelm by the devil are magic and never fail to hit their target.
Source: Music / The Black Rider
Cite this Source
Not work and Fail. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/fail/not_work
Fail & Not work. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/fail/not_work>.
Not work or Fail. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/fail/not_work.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "fail" and "not work" have occurred on timeline