Synonyms of tanking

tanking

verb

present participle of tank

as in flopping

to be unsuccessful

her intended comeback movie tanked at the box office, and once again she was relegated to TV guest spots

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flopping
• collapsing
• failing
• folding
• struggling
• missing
• bombing
• cratering
• striking out
• flunking
• foundering
• declining
• flaming out
• falling short
• laying an egg
• falling flat
• washing out
• coming to grief
• crashing
• slumping
• floundering
• dying on the vine
• coming a cropper
• coming up empty
• slipping
• falling on one's face
• waning
• sinking
• skidding
• crumbling
• misfiring
• imploding
• miscarrying
• going under
• self-destructing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• going
• succeeding
• delivering
• working out
• clicking
• going over
• coming off
• cooking
• flourishing
• prospering
• thriving
• winning
• panning out
• prevailing
• triumphing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tanking

But everything changed after a 1954 Life Magazine article, which argued that literacy rates were tanking because children were bored with Dick and Jane primers. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Uthmeier was previously the governor’s chief of staff and was entrusted to run DeSantis’ presidential campaign when his poll numbers were tanking. — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

For the first time, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in June that Cubans — either on the island or living abroad — could take over running the hotels for the government as part of a new flurry of reforms designed to rescue the tanking economy. — Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

Critics of the network business say the successful production and distribution arm has kept ITV’s share price from tanking over recent years as the TV ad market fell away, though that is just one read of the situation. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 5 July 2026

The Wizards had the NBA’s worst record during the 2025-26 season and won the final draft lottery before a new system is implemented that dings the three teams with the worst records—part of the league’s efforts to deter tanking. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 23 June 2026

First Up SpaceX’s selloff stretched into a third day Monday, wiping out all of its growth following a record-setting IPO and tanking Elon Musk’s fortune by more than $300 billion. — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

The Orioles, after years of tanking to secure high draft picks, rebuilt around young position players. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 18 June 2026

The danger is not limited to tanking. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2026