noun
- A mechanism capable of returning to a safe state in case there is a failure or malfunction.
adjective
- Guaranteed not to fail.
- usage: "a fail-safe recipe for cheese souffle"
- Eliminating danger by compensating automatically for a failure or malfunction.
- usage: "a fail-safe device in a nuclear weapon to deactivate it automatically in the event of accident"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). fail-safe. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/fail-safe/definitions/1173858 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "fail-safe" http://smartdefine.org/fail-safe/definitions/1173858 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, fail-safe, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/fail-safe/definitions/1173858>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "fail-safe" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/fail-safe/definitions/1173858> |