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
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Recent Examples of tanking
The Knicks were plus-32 in the 167 minutes spent with Towns and Brunson off the floor from March 1 through the end of the regular season, but the March slate featured a notoriously light stretch of games against tanking opponents for a seven-game Knicks winning streak.
—
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
But when a tanking team played a non-tanking team, the chance of the game being decided by at least 20 points went up to a whopping 35%.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
This team needs to consider organically tanking.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
And the Heat has done comprehensive research and concluded that tanking seldom results in championships.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Once in 2018, he was fined a whopping $600,000 for comments about tanking during a podcast with Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The Kings found themselves in the crosshairs of the NBA’s tanking crackdown after coach Doug Christie made a peculiar decision late in his team’s 110-105 loss to the Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
After the Warriors’ 110-105 win over the Kings on Tuesday, Green urged the NBA to take a more bold stance on issuing teams for tanking.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
On March 24, the National Basketball Players Association released a statement asserting Antetokounmpo was healthy enough to play and the Bucks were holding him out as part of a tanking effort to improve their draft pick.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
But when a tanking team played a non-tanking team, the chance of the game being decided by at least 20 points went up to a whopping 35%.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
This team needs to consider organically tanking.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
And the Heat has done comprehensive research and concluded that tanking seldom results in championships.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Once in 2018, he was fined a whopping $600,000 for comments about tanking during a podcast with Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
The Kings found themselves in the crosshairs of the NBA’s tanking crackdown after coach Doug Christie made a peculiar decision late in his team’s 110-105 loss to the Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
After the Warriors’ 110-105 win over the Kings on Tuesday, Green urged the NBA to take a more bold stance on issuing teams for tanking.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
On March 24, the National Basketball Players Association released a statement asserting Antetokounmpo was healthy enough to play and the Bucks were holding him out as part of a tanking effort to improve their draft pick.
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanking
Verb
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This was inevitable after McCollum inadvertently kicked Jalen Brunson in the groin, then accused the Knicks star of flopping in Game 1; and then got into a heated spat with Jose Alvarado before sinking the game-winning jumper in Game 2.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
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Meyers asked if Winkler had any sense during previews that the show was flopping.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As this process is the main source of energy produced by the sun, this will mean the outward pressure that stops the sun from collapsing under its own gravity also ceases.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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And what's the difference between weakening and collapsing?—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Kansas City Chiefs have made it through two days — and three rounds — of the 2026 NFL Draft while failing to address a major part of the team.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Now Durnell is at the center of a Supreme Court case to be argued on April 27 that tackles whether Monsanto can be sued for failing to warn of cancer risks from glyphosate.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Already McCue has observed an agave, a rosette shape succulent, folding and unfolding its leaves over the course of days.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
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Instead of folding, as the Magic had done at various points throughout the regular season when faced with on-court adversity, Orlando responded with a 14-3 run to recapture a double-digit lead with three minutes left in the third frame.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.—
Laura Millan,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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If your friend is lonely or struggling to establish her identity without her sister living in the house, time with friends and time intentionally getting to know herself will be more productive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Red Sox finished third in the AL East the next season, missing the playoffs for the first time in five years.—
Jimmy Golen,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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While the Giants addressed wide receiver, a big missing piece remains in boosting the defensive tackle spot.—
Charlotte Carroll,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s enrichment capabilities have been reduced by bombing this year and last.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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The center is named after bombing survivor Gillian Reny, who nearly lost a leg but was saved by first responders.—
Neal Riley,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanking. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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