without fail
idiom
1
—used to stress that something always happens
Every day, without fail, he has toast and coffee for breakfast.
2
—used to stress that something will definitely happen
She promised that she would be there without fail.
Examples of without fail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In recent years, the U.S. Dollar Index – which measures its value relative to a basket of major foreign currencies – has remained almost without fail above 100, indicating sustained strength versus its peers.
—
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
Every week, without fail, Jackson enters the tunnel in a custom look tailored perfectly to her style, face beat, , and then drops double digits on the court.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Photos: Getty Images Every summer, without fail, a fan-favorite dress emerges; a dress becomes the dress.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 June 2025
With an early-rising 11-month-old, who, without fail, woke before our alarm buzzed each morning, sleep—let alone restful, continuous sleep—was a far-off dream.
—Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2025
Nearly every year, almost without fail, NBA fans claim a conspiracy theory about the draft lottery.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The heart can do so without fail (well, for a long time without fail) because it is composed of specialized muscle cells called cardiomyocytes that are highly resistant to fatigue.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2025
Then without fail, there are disappointments and surprises.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 14 May 2025
My mom washed her face every morning and night without fail and always wore sunscreen.
—Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
Every week, without fail, Jackson enters the tunnel in a custom look tailored perfectly to her style, face beat, , and then drops double digits on the court.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Photos: Getty Images Every summer, without fail, a fan-favorite dress emerges; a dress becomes the dress.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 June 2025
With an early-rising 11-month-old, who, without fail, woke before our alarm buzzed each morning, sleep—let alone restful, continuous sleep—was a far-off dream.
—Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2025
Nearly every year, almost without fail, NBA fans claim a conspiracy theory about the draft lottery.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The heart can do so without fail (well, for a long time without fail) because it is composed of specialized muscle cells called cardiomyocytes that are highly resistant to fatigue.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2025
Then without fail, there are disappointments and surprises.
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 14 May 2025
My mom washed her face every morning and night without fail and always wore sunscreen.
—Footwear News, 20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Without fail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/without%20fail. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share