flameout

1 of 2

noun

flame·​out ˈflām-ˌau̇t How to pronounce flameout (audio)
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

flame out

2 of 2

verb

flamed out; flaming out; flames out

intransitive verb

: to fail spectacularly and especially prematurely

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The recent playoff flameouts have certainly produced plenty of scar tissue and added to the pressure that these 2025 Ravens face heading into the season. Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 28 July 2025 Whitmer and recalcitrant lawmakers deserve an equal share of the blame for the lame duck flameout. M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
Some experts liken the partnership to that of Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and predict it too will soon flame out, meaning that huge stream of Open AI revenue could go away. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025 Wilson, who was selected by the New York Jets but flamed out during his three seasons there, has been the better backup quarterback throughout the offseason program, including the first seven practices of training camp. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for flameout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flameout was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flameout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flameout. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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