as in fails
to be unsuccessful
even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used
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Recent Examples of flames out
Our dream of going back to the moon and onto Mars and more distant worlds—not least to ensure our species’ survival before the sun flames out and engulfs most of the solar system—can be seen as just one more step in evolution’s long march.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames out
Verb
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The Shift from Profit to Purpose While most companies are in the business of making money, history shows that greed as a business strategy often fails.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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And if all else fails, throw a boneless rib eye or skirt steak in the freezer until firm and use a sharp knife to slice it yourself.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An attack on Greenland would shatter NATO, handing a strategic victory to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin as the world's most successful defensive alliance collapses.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
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In the final act, the assassination plot collapses.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately for shareholders, the stock grants come with a feature similar to equity options that somewhat reduces Musk’s payday, especially in a case like the one above where the plan flops.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Nov. 2025
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Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Perfect Tom strikes out once again, not on the look but on the flavors.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Over and over, something of import seems about to happen, before the scene folds in on itself.—
Dan Sheehan,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Despite being small enough to fit in a residential garage or standard parking space, the Base Station is able to sleep a family of four in a futon-style couch that folds out into a queen-size bed, along with an optional bunk bed for the kids.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If Venezuela and its region instead spiral into chaos and suffering, Trump will merely look like a bully, a president who cowers when facing the mighty — in Moscow or Beijing, say — but bombs those who can’t return fire, whether in Nigeria, Yemen or Venezuela.—
Andreas Kluth,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
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Above, South Lake Tahoe ripper Emma Dayberry bombs through Kirkwood’s fabled Finger chutes, a quick traverse off of the Cornice Express six-pack chairlift.—
Drew Zieff,
Outside,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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South Korea's economic growth misses expectations.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2026
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The Raptors converted their first five attempts from the field while forcing four straight Warriors misses — three from Draymond Green — to jump out to a 10-0 lead.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Traveling around the world, arranging meetings with whoever is the oldest at that particular moment in time, Green struggles to formulate the right questions to ask these people.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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Azad doesn’t know that she’s adopted, and Rojîn struggles with how to tell her.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames%20out. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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