German flag

Scheitern vs. fehlschlagen vs. misslingen

Word practice demo
In German, the words scheitern, fehlschlagen, and misslingen all refer to failure but are used in slightly different contexts and nuances. Understanding their differences is essential for appropriate usage.

Scheitern

B1
Scheitern means to fail, often with an emphasis on personal responsibility or efforts. It is used particularly in the context of goals, plans, or ambitions and often reflects a more abstract or broader failure.
Der Plan, die Firma zu retten, ist gescheitert.
(The plan to save the company failed.)
Viele Menschen scheitern am Druck der Gesellschaft.
(Many people fail under the pressure of society.)
Wenn der Vertrag scheitert, müssen wir andere Optionen prüfen.
(If the contract fails, we must explore other options.)

Fehlschlagen

B2
Fehlschlagen generally means that an attempt or action did not succeed. It is used more with specific attempts or efforts rather than abstract ideas, often implying that something went wrong during the process.
Der Versuch, das Feuer zu löschen, ist fehlgeschlagen.
(The attempt to extinguish the fire failed.)
Ihr Angriff auf das Problem schlug fehl.
(Their attack on the problem failed.)
Der Plan schlug fehl, weil die Finanzierung nicht gesichert war.
(The plan failed because the funding was not secured.)

Misslingen

B2
Misslingen is a more formal or rare term compared to the others. It denotes the failure of something specific, such as an attempt or operation, with less focus on the cause or personal responsibility. It is often used in formal or technical contexts.
Das Experiment ist misslungen.
(The experiment failed.)
Der Kuchen ist mir völlig misslungen.
(The cake turned out a complete failure for me.)
Die Verhandlungen sind misslungen.
(The negotiations failed.)

Summary

Scheitern, fehlschlagen, and misslingen all describe failure but differ in context and nuance. Scheitern is more abstract and connected to personal or wider failures, fehlschlagen focuses on specific failed attempts or efforts, and misslingen is rarer and more formal, used for specific failed results, often without implying a cause. Recognizing these differences ensures more precise language use.