as in died
to stop living
the patient was fading fast, and doctors expected him to flatline before the night was over
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Recent Examples of flatlined
Employee engagement has been in decline since 2020 and, over the past two years, has flatlined at 31% of US employees being actively engaged at work.
—
Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
From the start of 2013 through the close of 2019, the ratio of debt to GDP basically flatlined at around 75%.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
The scoring punch has flatlined.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Because of high home prices, historically elevated mortgage rates and other higher housing costs, including property taxes and homeowner insurance premiums, Gen Z and millennial homeownership rates flatlined last year.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
But after growth soared from late 2023 through last year, the business has flatlined, with some analysts saying that Dell has taken market share.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Chase Brown had completely flatlined as a fantasy commodity before Flacco’s arrival, and Tee Higgins was approaching a similar status.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
After administering chest compressions — during which Bennett flatlined — a doctor asked if the couple would be willing to put their son on life support.
—Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
Multiple nations now have annihilation-level nuclear assets, and yet, even as the threat continues escalating, public concern has flatlined.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
From the start of 2013 through the close of 2019, the ratio of debt to GDP basically flatlined at around 75%.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026
The scoring punch has flatlined.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Because of high home prices, historically elevated mortgage rates and other higher housing costs, including property taxes and homeowner insurance premiums, Gen Z and millennial homeownership rates flatlined last year.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
But after growth soared from late 2023 through last year, the business has flatlined, with some analysts saying that Dell has taken market share.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Chase Brown had completely flatlined as a fantasy commodity before Flacco’s arrival, and Tee Higgins was approaching a similar status.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
After administering chest compressions — during which Bennett flatlined — a doctor asked if the couple would be willing to put their son on life support.
—Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
Multiple nations now have annihilation-level nuclear assets, and yet, even as the threat continues escalating, public concern has flatlined.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatlined
Verb
-
Shillinglaw says the most powerful stop is the small town of Ypres, where the Last Post Ceremony has been held nearly every night since the end of World War I to honor the men who died on the front lines in Flanders.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Cain died at the scene, and Hayslip died in a hospital a week later.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After a flurry of punches that would have felled a lesser team and coach, the Owls are still standing.—
Ken Sugiura,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Antoine’s trees were eventually felled after the plantation changed hands multiple times after the death of enslaver Roman.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flatlined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatlined. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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