flake out

verb

flaked out; flaking out; flakes out

intransitive verb

1
slang : to fall asleep
2
slang : to be overcome especially by exhaustion see also flake entry 2 sense 2

Examples of flake out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are lots of reasons your phone might flake out on your family FaceTime call. Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 13 June 2023 Will my internet flake out this morning? Rachel Feintzeig, WSJ, 22 Mar. 2021 More substantively, selling to an iBuyer appeals to homeowners who prize convenience, need to sell quickly, and want to be certain that the buyer will consummate the transaction and not flake out. CBS News, 27 Dec. 2021 Temptation, flake out, and the what the hell effect are just a few of the many internal barriers to goal achievement that behavioral scientists have identified, ranging from self-doubt to bad habits. Katy Milkman, Time, 6 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flake out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from dialect flake to lie, bask

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flake out was in 1928

Dictionary Entries Near flake out

Cite this Entry

“Flake out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flake%20out. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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