WASHED OUT Synonyms: 260 Similar and Opposite Words

washed-out 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯsht-ˈau̇t

Definition of washed-out

as in faded

lacking intensity of color washed-out blond hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

washed out

2 of 2

verb

past tense of wash out

as in collapsed

to be unsuccessful most of the participants in the tough training program washed out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in killed

to use up all the physical energy of that last illness washed the child out completely

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rinsed

to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse wash out your bathing suit in the sink

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Torrential rains caused flash floods that swamped homes, washed out bridges and led to water rescues in West Virginia, authorities said. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 The final was postponed to Monday after heavy rain washed out Sunday’s play. — James Hansen, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Without a potent enough backlight, your screen can be washed out or even unusable when the sun is out. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026 Without it, Dike points out that the room can feel flat or washed out. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 12 July 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-out

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

Pick up a s’mores kit from reception, claim one of the firepits, and watch your fellow Cape-goers drift back from the beach with sandy feet and tired kids.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
In an age of endless subscriptions and price hikes, people are sick and tired of paying for access to products rather than owning them.

— Bee Wertheimer, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026

Definition of tired

Verb

By reproducing Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits at industrial scale, Warhol collapsed the distinction between commerce and culture, suggesting that mass production and repetition could become a form of value in itself.

— Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 21 July 2026
The country’s power grid collapsed three times this month, while water service, food production, transportation, garbage collection and medical services have been severely disrupted.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Definition of collapsed

Verb

Though the World Cup avoided issues with ICE raids at stadiums, the agency this summer has been responsible for shootings that killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine.

— Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026
The state, then called Vargas, had another natural disaster in 1999, when landslides killed thousands.

— Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

Definition of killed

Verb

By then, your toothbrush has been rinsed repeatedly in tap water and left to sit in a warm, humid bathroom—giving any lingering microbes plenty of time to multiply before the brush goes right back into your mouth.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 27 July 2026
All types of produce should be rinsed under running water, including those with skins or rinds that are not eaten.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of rinsed

Adjective

If the District Court upholds the denial, your application is considered exhausted.

— Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
OpenAI moved ChatGPT Business agents to metered credits July 6, and Anthropic now bills agent workloads against credit pools that stop when exhausted.

— TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of exhausted

Browse Nearby Words

washed one's hands of

washed-out

washed out

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Washed-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washed-out. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of washed-out

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on washed-out

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kludge

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes