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
Will the current Supreme Court conclude that Trump’s tariffs also flunk it? N.C.L.A.
—
Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
Charlotte Hornets The Mark Williams trade was a spectacular piece of opportunism that sadly went by the wayside when the Lakers flunked his physical, but give the Hornets points for nearly pulling that off.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
For the first time in his life, Kevin was flunking classes — bizarre for a math nerd and high school salutatorian.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Ruth used that run-in to inform Franks of why Gibbs flunked his psych eval, and to call him on the carpet for dodging the boy’s calls/visits.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
Charlotte Hornets The Mark Williams trade was a spectacular piece of opportunism that sadly went by the wayside when the Lakers flunked his physical, but give the Hornets points for nearly pulling that off.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
For the first time in his life, Kevin was flunking classes — bizarre for a math nerd and high school salutatorian.
—Ellen Barry, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Ruth used that run-in to inform Franks of why Gibbs flunked his psych eval, and to call him on the carpet for dodging the boy’s calls/visits.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunk
Verb
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The panel studying those cases released a report last year describing how the state child welfare agency missed warning signs and failed to protect dozens of children from dying of the illicit drug.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
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Ultimately, the Bundys and five others were acquitted of all charges after jurors said prosecutors failed to prove their intent.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The marathon meeting evoked memories of a past era of contentious county budgets in the wake of the 2008 housing crash, when collapsed real estate values caused a severe revenue crunch for Miami-Dade.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
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But there have still been high-profile rail bridge collapses like the one in Montana two years ago that sent a train hauling petroleum products into the Yellowstone River, sending tar balls downstream that had to be cleaned up.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Since this season’s halcyon days -- a weekend home sweep of the Yankees that got Miami even at 55-55 -- the Fish have flopped at 10-22 .—
Greg Cote
September 7,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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Cellphone bill flop prompts finger-pointing Hall seized on the vote breakdown as an example of Democratic lawmakers out of step with Whitmer and out of touch with public support for cellphone restrictions at school.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For reference, in Europe’s top five leagues last season, 514 penalties were taken and 94 saved (with another 14 missed), putting the general save rate at around 18 per cent.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Its 2021 return to profitability was short-lived, with pre-tax profits plummeting from $29 million in 2022 to $10 million in 2023, a year when global revenue growth was flat and the company missed internal forecasts.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunk. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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