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 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
All of it comes after a regular season marred by a tanking epidemic so widespread that Silver implemented new rules going into next season, an ongoing gambling saga and a controversy surrounding the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard.
—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
The danger is not limited to tanking.
—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
On March 11, the Knicks were down by 18 points to a tanking Utah Jazz club — Clarkson’s former team.
—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
If that reversal doesn’t happen, all options are on the table, Warner warned, including tanking a bipartisan deal to extend FISA Section 702, the person said.
—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Nuggets team president and KSE vice chairman Josh Kroenke was on the competition committee that mulled over various solutions to the years-long tanking epidemic.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
2 June 2026
The vote Thursday fulfilled a promise from Commissioner Adam Silver, who vowed that the league — which has changed the lottery system about a half-dozen times in the last 40 or so years — would strongly address the tanking issue before next season.
—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
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
All of it comes after a regular season marred by a tanking epidemic so widespread that Silver implemented new rules going into next season, an ongoing gambling saga and a controversy surrounding the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard.
—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
The danger is not limited to tanking.
—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
On March 11, the Knicks were down by 18 points to a tanking Utah Jazz club — Clarkson’s former team.
—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
If that reversal doesn’t happen, all options are on the table, Warner warned, including tanking a bipartisan deal to extend FISA Section 702, the person said.
—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Nuggets team president and KSE vice chairman Josh Kroenke was on the competition committee that mulled over various solutions to the years-long tanking epidemic.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
2 June 2026
The vote Thursday fulfilled a promise from Commissioner Adam Silver, who vowed that the league — which has changed the lottery system about a half-dozen times in the last 40 or so years — would strongly address the tanking issue before next season.
—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanking
Verb
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This lacecap hydrangea dazzles with electric blue flowers atop compact, sturdy stems that resist flopping in the garden.
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Plus, the minuscule fines, when they are applied, aren't going to deter millionaires from flopping to get cheap free throws.
Verb
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Everything is collapsing around them, but Richie has a plan.
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This process is collapsing the filmmaking process into fewer steps, Amazon Web Services’ General Manager of Media and Entertainment Samira Bakhtiar said in an interview.
Verb
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State election officials say federal agencies are failing to provide security support needed for the midterms.
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The biggest transaction of his tenure occurred when Shohei Ohtani left the Angels after six seasons for the Dodgers in late 2023, the Angels failing to trade Ohtani for prospects before Ohtani became a free agent.
Verb
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The two folding chairs are also lightweight, yet sturdy enough to hold up to 350 pounds.
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Samsung's folding phones are the market leaders for now.
Verb
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And what people in that district are exhausted by is a politics that has justified the spending of tens of billions of dollars in killing civilians overseas, while working people are struggling just to do the basics.
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The fashion industry has been struggling in Europe and China, while seeing growth in North America, Ebner said.
Verb
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Canada, the first World Cup host to play a game outside its borders, could get a boost if Alphonso Davies, its best player, can play after missing the team’s first three games.
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Elsewhere, Iran’s soccer team has been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, missing the 32-team knockout stages by one spot in heartbreaking fashion.
Verb
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French officials condemned the damage to the ancient monastery, comparing it to bombing Notre-Dame, while Ukrainian religious leaders called it a crime against humanity.
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Another bad fix bombing out the moment it was most needed.
Cite this Entry
“Tanking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanking. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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