flunk

1 of 2

verb

ˈfləŋk 

flunked; flunking; flunks

intransitive verb

: to fail especially in an examination or course

was worried he would flunk

transitive verb

1

: to give a failing grade to

The teacher flunked half the class.

2

: to get a failing grade or result in

flunked the math exam

flunker noun

flunk

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of flunking

Synonyms of flunk

Verb

• fail
• collapse
• flop
• miss

Examples of flunk in a Sentence

Verb

If I flunk this class, I have to take it over again.

If I flunk, I have to take this class over again.

The teacher had to flunk two students.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That brings us to the three candidates who didn’t necessarily flunk, some of whom even flirted with adulthood. —Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025

If the idea was to shift away from reliance on China to ensure security, Mozambique flunked the risk test. —Mike Dunleavy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Sep. 2025

Noun

But that chapter, written before a July Supreme Court ruling that suggested Florida and Texas laws regulating content moderation flunk First Amendment scrutiny, also notes that Carr met some conservative pushback on that idea from his own Project 2025 collaborators. —Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024

He’s also had 30 horses flunk drug tests in that time and 74 horses die in his care since 2000. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps blend of flinch and funk

First Known Use

Verb

1823, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing flunk

• flunk out

Rhymes for flunk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• dunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk

Kids Definition

flunk

verb

ˈfləŋk

1

: fail entry 1 sense 2c

flunk a test

2

: to give a failing grade to

flunk noun