washed-out 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯsht-ˈau̇t How to pronounce washed-out (audio)
Definition of washed-outnext
1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color washed-out blond hair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness feeling washed-out after the endless primary season, the party's nominee needs a vacation more than anything

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

washed out

2 of 2

verb

past tense of wash out
1
as in collapsed
to be unsuccessful most of the participants in the tough training program washed out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleached
to make white or whiter by removing color the bright lights of the TV studio washed out her facial features, making her look as white as a ghost

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in killed
to use up all the physical energy of that last illness washed the child out completely

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rinsed
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse wash out your bathing suit in the sink

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of washed-out
Adjective
Numerous roads washed-out, collapsing down into the ground. — Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 26 Apr. 2026 Images incorporated into the mayor’s video showed washed-out or collapsed roads, a car stuck in floodwaters and raging waterways. — Sophia Tareen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026 Intense flash flooding in towns like Wrightwood and Phelan in recent weeks caused devastating mudslides and washed-out roads, forcing people to be rescued by helicopter. — Zach Boetto, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026 The magic lies in its warmth, which prevents the face from looking washed-out. — María Diez, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2025 Images generally have washed-out colors and an overall dark tone. — PC Magazine, 25 July 2025 Lindsay’s nails cause the color of the nail bed to look half white and half red or brown, whereas Terry’s nails cause the nail bed to look mostly white or washed-out, per Cleveland Clinic. — Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024 This shade leans totally into nude territory without being washed-out. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 July 2024 The picture is bright, though some high-contrast shots of silhouetted objects show slightly muddy or washed-out shadow details; the contours of a lioness against a sunset are slightly indistinct, while trees against a stormy sky are a bit too light. — PCMAG, 30 May 2024
Verb
Serious stargazing gets harder as even bright constellations seem washed out by lingering light. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 July 2026 Overnight treatments work best and should be washed out with shampoo the next day. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 If your boards look washed out, gray, or patchy compared to when they were first finished, the protective layer is wearing thin. — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026 Around noon, employers urged Kansans working in downtown KCMO to return home in case the bridges washed out. — Kansas City Public Library Staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 At least five people were killed, and dozens were sought following severe storms in Kentucky and Tennessee that triggered flash floods and washed out roads, officials said. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Because the dirt road was narrow, muddy and frequently washed out, Cantrell envisioned a new road heading west and ascending the hilltop of Pulaski Heights, near what is now Allsopp Park. — Arkansas Online, 27 June 2026 That's because the odor is washed out in the rinse cycle, leaving behind only the benefits of adding it to the wash. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 June 2026 During a hurricane, leaf litter blown or washed out of the canopy ended up in the complex network of roots below, providing a pulse of nutrients that enhanced the production of new roots and hastened mangrove recovery. — John Kominoski, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-out
  1. faded
  2. tired
  3. collapsed
  4. bleached
  5. killed
  6. rinsed
  7. pale
  8. exhausted
Adjective
  • Eric_Lynxweiler | Courtesy of Latinos in Heritage Conservation The Silver Platter, with its faded crimson awning along a stretch in Los Angeles’ Westlake District, doesn’t look like much from the outside.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The faded fabric, buttery-soft cotton, and contrast-trim neckline lend it a vintage vibe that won’t look out of place when paired with more contemporary pieces.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026
Definition of faded
Adjective
  • But after two wars in nine months, there was a sense of tired resignation when news of the airstrikes hit Tehran Wednesday.
    — Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Most transformation requests are really about a bottleneck someone is tired of working around.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of tired
Verb
  • Separately, at least 15 informal miners were killed when a defunct gold mine partly collapsed Monday in the district of Wadi Halfa, close to Sudan’s border with Egypt, authorities said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • This had a multiplying effect, as paddy fields next to shrimp ponds turned brackish and rice yields collapsed.
    — Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026
Definition of collapsed
Verb
  • After seeing their brows bleached for the first time at our shoot, Megan and Daniela’s excited screams cause everyone’s heads to whip toward the glam room in a mixture of both fear and curiosity.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026
  • Ortega can be seen leaving her Wednesday-era long jet-black hair and bleached eyebrows behind.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 22 June 2026
Definition of bleached
Verb
  • Israel retaliated with a massive military offensive that has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry says, around half of them women and children.
    — Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Hayati did not provide further details on the people killed or injured.
    — Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026
Definition of killed
Verb
  • Fresh marigold leaves were rinsed, chopped, crushed, centrifuged, filtered, and evaporated.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 6 July 2026
  • The chlorine is rinsed off before packaging and is considered safe by food safety standards.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 6 July 2026
Definition of rinsed
Adjective
  • The room, its walls expensively craquelure'd to resemble fractured eggshells, its pale taffeta curtains billowing in the chill English breeze, is more Hollywood boudoir than office.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
  • But when taken together, our present divisions pale in comparison to the historical record.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • While no special launch event has been announced, these popular toys will be available at participating restaurants until supplies are exhausted.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Historical evidence supports this portrayal to some extent, with exhausted monks leaving wry marginal notes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of exhausted

Browse Nearby Words

washed one's hands of
washed-out
washed out
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Cite this Entry

“Washed-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washed-out. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on washed-out

Nglish: Translation of washed-out for Spanish Speakers

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