as in to fail
to be unsuccessful
the movie flunks, both as entertainment and as a dramatization of a historical incident
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flunk
John has just flunked the bar for the second time, and his job at the DA’s office — which has a three-strike policy — is in peril.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
By the end of the eighth grade, Ben—now out as gay—was flunking every class.
—Longreads, 3 Feb. 2026
The company was born from the will of a man who grew up dirt-poor in Baltimore, flunked fifth grade, served in Vietnam and became a billionaire.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Ultragenyx lost more than $1 billion in market value after its bone drug flunked late-stage clinical trials.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
By the end of the eighth grade, Ben—now out as gay—was flunking every class.
—Longreads, 3 Feb. 2026
The company was born from the will of a man who grew up dirt-poor in Baltimore, flunked fifth grade, served in Vietnam and became a billionaire.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Ultragenyx lost more than $1 billion in market value after its bone drug flunked late-stage clinical trials.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunk
Verb
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Eldridge homered for a third straight game, the latest being his fifth home run of the season, but San Francisco fell 5-1 to the Chicago Cubs on Friday evening at Oracle Park, the latest instance of this team failing to carry the momentum from a momentous moment.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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The Washington National Opera is accusing the Kennedy Center of failing to return more than $17 million in donor funds, escalating a dispute that followed the end of a 15-year partnership between the two institutions.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Whether those disputes are merely differences in public messaging, or reflect something deeper that could cause the agreement to collapse, remains unclear.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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But even as the hall was collapsing, The Star reported, Kansas City businessmen Walter Dickey and Uriah Epperson were soliciting pledges from onlookers to launch the rebuilding.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Replay shows the defender never made meaningful contact and the offensive player overly-exaggerated the contact (flopped).—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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That fad, alas, had run its course, and the Bicentennial Pet Rock flopped.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Verb
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In May, the National Park Service said a man who went missing while hiking in Glacier National Park in Montana was killed by a bear in what authorities believe to be the first deadly bear attack at the park since 1998.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Fifteen of those nations have missed the last three tournaments, 12 the past four World Cups.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunk. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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