flame·out
ˈflām-ˌau̇t 
1
: the unintentional cessation of operation of a jet airplane engine
2
: a sudden downfall, failure, or cessation
3
: a person whose successful career ends abruptly
flamed out; flaming out; flames out
: to fail spectacularly and especially prematurely
Synonyms
Examples of flameout in a Sentence
Noun
Fans were disappointed by the team's flameout in the play-offs.
before her sudden, self-inflicted flameout, she was one of the state's brightest political stars
Verb
even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
This is hardly the first flameout for the conference.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
And a quick postseason flameout coming right before Siakam bolts in free agency would make this trade look like a disaster.
—Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Jan. 2024
The resurgence stands in contrast to the questions that have dogged the sector since last year's spectacular flameout of crypto exchange FTX, leading to the November conviction of founder Sam Bankman-Fried on seven counts of fraud.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 4 Dec. 2023
His record in the NCAA Tournament is merely 2-2, with a first-round flameout as the No. 2 seed.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
Celebration of Sunday’s glorious 56-19 win over Miami was quickly forgotten as fans fretted about whether the first-round bye would lead to a repeat of the 2019 flameout at home vs. Tennessee.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024
Could electric air taxis and flying cars become another spectacular, multibillion-dollar aviation-industry flameout?
—Marc Wortman, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2023
One of the original core shoegaze bands, Slowdive were the scene’s most famous flameout, derided by critics and dropped by their label just a week after the release of 1995’s Pygmalion.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Dec. 2023
Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
There have been so many of these groups, flourishing and flaming out in endless cycles, trading places in a Beckettian limbo wherein divine reckoning approaches but never arrives.
—Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
The Miami Dolphins started 2023 red hot but fizzled as the season began to close, losing an AFC East division showdown game at home to the Buffalo Bills 21-14, and then flaming out in the postseason with a 26-7 Wild Card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
Unlike most Hollywood neophytes of his ilk, however, Ellison did not flame out in ignominy or retreat much poorer for his efforts.
—Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Towns’ name could be floated in rumors if Minnesota flames out of the postseason early.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Pence made his own run for president this year, but flamed out in the primary contest.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024
Andrew Yang wants to give you $1,000 a month
Sept. 5, 2019
That said, political pundits largely expected Trump to flame out in 2016.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
India flamed out in a thrashing to England and trudged off the Adelaide Oval in embarrassment apparently in desperate need of regeneration.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024
Noun
The unforeseen move Friday was Vargas’ promotion, with the Dodgers recalling last year’s rookie flameout following a strong start to his triple A season.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
This is hardly the first flameout for the conference.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
And a quick postseason flameout coming right before Siakam bolts in free agency would make this trade look like a disaster.
—Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Jan. 2024
The resurgence stands in contrast to the questions that have dogged the sector since last year's spectacular flameout of crypto exchange FTX, leading to the November conviction of founder Sam Bankman-Fried on seven counts of fraud.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 4 Dec. 2023
His record in the NCAA Tournament is merely 2-2, with a first-round flameout as the No. 2 seed.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024
Celebration of Sunday’s glorious 56-19 win over Miami was quickly forgotten as fans fretted about whether the first-round bye would lead to a repeat of the 2019 flameout at home vs. Tennessee.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024
Could electric air taxis and flying cars become another spectacular, multibillion-dollar aviation-industry flameout?
—Marc Wortman, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2023
One of the original core shoegaze bands, Slowdive were the scene’s most famous flameout, derided by critics and dropped by their label just a week after the release of 1995’s Pygmalion.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Dec. 2023
Verb
Once Isaiah Oliver flamed out at nickel back last season, the 49ers’ solution was to slide Lenoir inside from his starting spot at right cornerback.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
There have been so many of these groups, flourishing and flaming out in endless cycles, trading places in a Beckettian limbo wherein divine reckoning approaches but never arrives.
—Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
The Miami Dolphins started 2023 red hot but fizzled as the season began to close, losing an AFC East division showdown game at home to the Buffalo Bills 21-14, and then flaming out in the postseason with a 26-7 Wild Card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
Unlike most Hollywood neophytes of his ilk, however, Ellison did not flame out in ignominy or retreat much poorer for his efforts.
—Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Towns’ name could be floated in rumors if Minnesota flames out of the postseason early.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Pence made his own run for president this year, but flamed out in the primary contest.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024
Andrew Yang wants to give you $1,000 a month
Sept. 5, 2019
That said, political pundits largely expected Trump to flame out in 2016.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
India flamed out in a thrashing to England and trudged off the Adelaide Oval in embarrassment apparently in desperate need of regeneration.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flameout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near flameout
Cite this Entry
“Flameout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flameout. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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