Week 4 - Failure

Question 1

abortive

Answer 1

failing to produce the intended result.

Example: The mission was abortive and did not achieve its objectives.

Question 2

balk

Answer 2

hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.

Example: He balked at the high price of the car and decided not to buy it.

Question 3

besiege

Answer 3

surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender.

Example: The army besieged the city for months before it finally surrendered.

Question 4

capitulate

Answer 4

cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender.

Example: The rebels had to capitulate after their supplies ran out.

Question 5

carnage

Answer 5

the killing of a large number of people.

Example: The battlefield was filled with carnage after the fierce fighting.

Question 6

catastrophic

Answer 6

involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering.

Example: The earthquake was catastrophic, leaving the city in ruins.

Question 7

debacle

Answer 7

a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco.

Example: The event turned into a debacle, embarrassing everyone involved.

Question 8

falter

Answer 8

start to lose strength or momentum.

Example: She began to falter as the deadline approached.

Question 9

fiasco

Answer 9

a complete failure, especially in a ludicrous or humiliating way.

Example: The party was a fiasco due to the unexpected storm.

Question 10

forestall

Answer 10

prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking action ahead of time.

Example: They tried to forestall the attack by negotiating with the enemy.

Question 11

fruitless

Answer 11

failing to achieve the desired results; unproductive or useless.

Example: Their efforts were fruitless, and they failed to find a solution.

Question 12

harbinger

Answer 12

a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.

Example: The robin is a harbinger of spring.

Question 13

impasse

Answer 13

a situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; a deadlock.

Example: The negotiations reached an impasse, with neither side willing to compromise.

Question 14

incapacitate

Answer 14

prevent from functioning in a normal way.

Example: The accident incapacitated him for several months.

Question 15

moribund

Answer 15

at the point of death.

Example: The patient was moribund and not expected to survive the night.

Question 16

nadir

Answer 16

the lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization.

Example: His career reached its nadir after the scandal.

Question 17

ominous

Answer 17

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious.

Example: The dark clouds gave an ominous feeling about the impending storm.

Question 18

plight

Answer 18

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation.

Example: They were in a plight with no way to escape the flooding.

Question 19

quandary

Answer 19

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

Example: She was in a quandary about whether to accept the job offer.

Question 20

ramifications

Answer 20

consequences of an action or event, especially when complex or unwelcome.

Example: The new law had many unexpected ramifications.

Question 21

repulse

Answer 21

drive back by force.

Example: The army was able to repulse the invaders and protect the city.

Question 22

stymie

Answer 22

prevent or hinder the progress of.

Example: Bureaucratic red tape stymied their efforts to start the project.

Question 23

succumb

Answer 23

fail to resist (pressure, temptation, or some other negative force).

Example: He finally succumbed to his injuries after fighting for weeks.

Question 24

thwart

Answer 24

prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

Example: Their plans were thwarted by unexpected obstacles.