failure(失败) 和 success(成功)是一对反义词，但用法上有不少相似之处和需注意之处：

1. 泛指一般意义的“失败”或“成功”，通常是不可数名词;指具体的失败(成功)的人或事等，或指一次失败或成功等，通常是可数名词。如：

Failure is the mother of success. 失败是成功之母。

If you fail, make failure a stepping stone to success. 假若你失败，就把它当作通向成功的垫脚石。

Success came after many failures. 多次失败之后，终于获得了成功。

He is a failure (success) in business. 他在生意上很失败(成功)。

It was said that the party was a failure (success). 据说晚会开得不成功(很成功)。

2. 表示未能做某事，通常用 one’s failure to do sth;表示成功地做了某事，通常用 have success in doing sth。如：

His failure to help us was disappointing. 他未能帮助我们真是令人失望。

Did you have any success in persuading her to come? 你说服了她来吗?

表示在某一方面的失败或考试不及格等，可用介词 in。如：a failure in duty(失职)，failure in love(失恋)，one’s failure in an exam(考试不及格)