fail to show up

Meaning

To not arrive at an agreed time or place for an appointment, meeting, or social event. It is often used when someone's absence causes disappointment, inconvenience, or frustration. The tone is neutral but can lean towards critical depending on the context.

Examples

• He promised he would come to my birthday party, but he failed to show up.

  He promised he would come to my birthday party, but he failed to show up.

• If you fail to show up for the interview, they won't reschedule it.

  If you fail to show up for the interview, they won't reschedule it.

• Several key members failed to show up for the emergency meeting yesterday.

  Several key members failed to show up for the emergency meeting yesterday.

• I was worried when my study partner failed to show up at the library.

  I was worried when my study partner failed to show up at the library.

• She felt let down when her date failed to show up at the restaurant.

  She felt let down when her date failed to show up at the restaurant.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He failed to show up himself.

  ✓ He failed to show up.

  "Show up" is an intransitive phrasal verb here; it does not require a reflexive pronoun like "himself".

• ✗ She failed showing up for the class.

  ✓ She failed to show up for the class.

  The verb "fail" must be followed by an infinitive ("to show up"), not a gerund ("showing up").

Related Expressions

Practice

• We waited for an hour, but our tour guide ___.

  💡 Use the past tense of the expression.

  Show answer

  failed to show up

• If you ___ for work without calling, you might get fired.

  💡 Use the base form of the expression.

  Show answer

  fail to show up