Which term describes the situation when a network packet fails to reach its destination?

The situation when a network packet fails to reach its destination is best described as packet loss. Packet loss occurs when one or more packets of data traveling across a network fail to arrive at their intended destination. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, such as network congestion, hardware failures, or unreliable connections.

Packet loss is a critical concept in networking, as it can significantly impact the performance of applications, especially those that require a steady stream of data, such as video streaming or online gaming. When packets are lost, those applications may experience lag, buffering, or other performance issues.

While "packet drop" might seem related, it typically refers to the explicit action of the network stack discarding packets, often due to congestion control mechanisms. "Packet delay" refers to the time it takes for a packet to reach its destination, not the failure of the packet to arrive. "Packet overflow" is not a standard networking term, though it might describe a scenario where a buffer receives more packets than it can handle, potentially leading to drops, but it is not the correct term for packets failing to reach their destination.