German word

misslingen

Pronunciation

IPA/mɪsˈlɪŋən/

Meaning

  • verbnot work out

Example

Manchmal misslingt ein Plan trotz guter Vorbereitung.

Sometimes a plan does not work out despite good preparation.

Illustration for misslingen (not work out)

More examples

Dem Team misslang der Abschlusstest trotz intensiver Vorbereitung.

Despite intensive preparation, the team failed the final test.

Core concept

A planned attempt falls short of its intended result despite the effort behind it.

Common phrases

  • jemandem misslingt etwas

    Something does not work out for someone

  • ein Projekt misslingt

    A project does not work out

Similar words

scheitern: A significant undertaking fails to achieve its objective and must be abandoned.
fehlschlagen: A trial or operation fails to deliver the desired result.
missglücken: A venture or attempt ends in failure through an unlucky turn of events.

Definition in German

Keinen Erfolg haben; ein Versuch, ein Plan oder ein Vorhaben führt nicht zum gewünschten Ergebnis.

Word origin

Misslingen combines the negative prefix "miss-" with "gelingen" (to succeed), so it developed the meaning of failing to succeed.

Usage tips

  • Misslingen is intransitive: the failed thing is the subject, while an affected person appears in the dative, as in "Der Plan misslingt ihm."

Other meanings

  • failverb
  • go wrongverb

Opposites

Related words

  • das Misslingenfailurenoun
  • misslungenunsuccessfuladjective

Word lists with this word