noun

le échec

failure

C'est quand on ne réussit pas ce que l'on voulait faire ou quand on perd une partie de jeu.

Definition & meaning

Échec has two main meanings:

Failure, defeat, or setback: an unsuccessful attempt or a poor result.
Example: “The project was a failure.”
Check in chess: a position in which the king is under attack. The plural échecs also names the game of chess.

Grammar & Word origin

Échec is a masculine noun: un échec. Its plural is des échecs.

The chess-related word came into French through Old French, from Arabic al-shāh (“the king”), ultimately from Persian shāh. The sense of failure developed from the idea of being defeated in a game.

Synonyms & antonyms

For the meaning “failure”:

insuccès means lack of success and is relatively neutral.
revers suggests a setback or a sudden defeat.
fiasco is a conspicuous or embarrassing failure.
défaite emphasizes being beaten, especially in a contest.

Possible antonyms are:

réussite , a successful result.
succès , achievement or favorable reception.

In chess, there is no exact antonym for échec in the sense of “check.”

Common phrases & collocations

subir un échec — to suffer a failure or defeat.
essuyer un échec — to meet with a setback.
mettre quelqu’un en échec — to thwart someone or put them in a difficult position.
échec et mat — checkmate.
jouer aux échecs — to play chess.