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 state’s latest energy plan fails to recognize and remedy this and portends a bleak, costly energy future, not to mention more pollution and higher health care costs.—
Anshul Gupta,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Holly added that any topic related to her wedding never fails to bring tears to her father's eyes.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Doing something that is sold as socially progressive, but ends up benefiting big-money donors, and then wrapping it up in so much regulation and taxation that the policy collapses under its own weight—how dysfunctionally California is that?—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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Trump seems to imagine a hierarchical system dominated by a single capo whose removal collapses the organization—a model rooted in the 1980s.—
Javier Corrales,
Time,
5 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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The portside terrace also folds out.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
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The new rendition also folds in lush strings that help tie it to the album’s symphonic approach.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Ukraine bombs Russian energy infrastructure to defend civilians and destroy the Kremlin war machine.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Oct. 2025
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Remind them their worth is non-negotiable When your child fails — gets cut from the team, bombs a test — remind them their value isn't up for debate.—
Jennifer Breheny Wallace,
CNBC,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Kayshon Boutte is day-to-day with a hamstring injury, which means New England could push Stefon Diggs outside if Boutte misses any time, allowing Douglas to get more run out of the slot against the Buccaneers this week.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Nov. 2025
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Saito always misses his cats while hiking.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Haunted by her own traumas and hidden scars, Kitts struggles to piece together the clues and separate Raevyn’s madness from an even more troubling reality.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
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The chain’s anniversary comes as the restaurant industry struggles with declining traffic.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames%20out. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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