success has many fathers, failure is an orphan

proverb

Many people will seek credit for success, but few will accept responsibility for failure.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative victory has many fathers, defeat is an orphan · alternative success has a hundred fathers, failure is an orphan · alternative success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan

  1. Many people will seek credit for success, but few will accept responsibility for failure.

    Success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan. Never mind.

    2025 June 14, Nigel Andrews, “They don’t come any bigger”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 13

Origin

Popularized by John F. Kennedy in the context of the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish onnistumisella on monta isää, epäonnistuminen on orpo
  • onnistumisella on monta isää, epäonnistuminen on orpomany will seek credit for success, few for failure
Hebrew להצלחה אבות רבים, הכשלון הולך יתום
  • להצלחה אבות רבים, הכשלון הולך יתוםmany will seek credit for success, few for failure
Polish sukces ma wielu ojców, a porażka jest sierotą, sukces ma wielu ojców
  • sukces ma wielu ojców, a porażka jest sierotąmany will seek credit for success, few for failure
  • sukces ma wielu ojcówmany will seek credit for success, few for failure
  • sukces ma wielu ojców, a klęska jest sierotąmany will seek credit for success, few for failure
Romanian succesul are mulți tați, insuccesul e orfan.
  • succesul are mulți tați, insuccesul e orfan.many will seek credit for success, few for failure
Cite this entry
APA

success has many fathers, failure is an orphan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/success%20has%20many%20fathers%2C%20failure%20is%20an%20orphan

MLA

“success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/success%20has%20many%20fathers%2C%20failure%20is%20an%20orphan. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “success has many fathers, failure is an orphan,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/success%20has%20many%20fathers%2C%20failure%20is%20an%20orphan.

Source: success has many fathers, failure is an orphan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.