failsafe
failsafe Lexical Profile
failsafe Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Designed to revert to a safe condition or prevent further harm in the event of a breakdown or malfunction.
"Modern elevators are equipped with failsafe braking systems that engage automatically if the power cuts out."
Unlikely to fail; guaranteed to succeed or work effectively.
"Keeping a written checklist is a failsafe method for ensuring nothing gets forgotten before the trip."
• noun
A secondary mechanism, system, or contingency plan designed to prevent harm or ensure continued operation if the primary system fails.
"The software includes an automatic cloud backup as a failsafe against sudden hardware failure."
Word Nuance & Usage
In formal engineering, the word strictly means a design that remains harmless when it breaks, whereas in everyday usage it often means foolproof or guaranteed not to fail at all.