flameout

1 of 2

noun

flame·​out ˈflām-ˌau̇t 

1

: the unintentional cessation of operation of a jet airplane engine

2

: a sudden downfall, failure, or cessation

a flameout that cost the network millions

3

: a person whose successful career ends abruptly

He was a spectacular failure …, a flameout.

—Douglas S. Looney and Carlton Stowers

flame out

2 of 2

verb

flamed out; flaming out; flames out

intransitive verb

: to fail spectacularly and especially prematurely

a promising career that flamed out

Synonyms of flameout

Noun

• demise
• downfall
• down
• setback

Verb

• fail
• collapse
• flop
• strike out
• fold
• miss
• fall short
• struggle
• bomb
• wash out
• tank
• lay an egg
• come to grief

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

Noun

This is an important season for Herbert, the 28-year-old quarterback whose regular-season flashes have consistently turned into playoff flameouts. — Josh Kendall, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Frenchie's flameout was epic and hilarious, Derek X was astute and entertaining, and Claire easily could have been a serious contender on another season. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026

Verb

Peters is, in all likelihood, safe from the many ways other influencers could flame out over the next influencer vibe shift. — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 30 July 2026

Shareholders are upset with massive losses and strategic bets that dramatically flamed out. — Andrew Staples, Fortune, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for flameout

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout