as in failing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful
most of the participants in the tough training program washed out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleaching
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
3
as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
that last illness washed the child out completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rinsing
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 washing-out
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
This October, a full supermoon has graced our skies, washing out the Draconid meteor shower.
—Big Think, 13 Oct. 2025
This indicated that some fluid was washing out lutetium from rocks on the asteroid.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Brightness is stunning, colors pop naturally, and dark scenes stay detailed without washing out, which proves to be great for movie nights or gaming marathons.
—Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
On the night of the peak, the moon will be 84% illuminated, washing out most of the shooting stars, according to NASA.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
But his tendency to swing and miss puts him at risk of washing out.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
This October, a full supermoon has graced our skies, washing out the Draconid meteor shower.
—Big Think, 13 Oct. 2025
This indicated that some fluid was washing out lutetium from rocks on the asteroid.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Brightness is stunning, colors pop naturally, and dark scenes stay detailed without washing out, which proves to be great for movie nights or gaming marathons.
—Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 2 Sep. 2025
On the night of the peak, the moon will be 84% illuminated, washing out most of the shooting stars, according to NASA.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washing-out
Verb
-
Reservoirs supplying Tehran and other urban centers have dropped to critically low levels, while agricultural production in the nation’s most fertile regions is collapsing, threatening food security and rural livelihoods.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Dorzon had been shot 11 times and his girlfriend had also been hit, collapsing on the front lawn.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Laundress Whites Detergent really boosts the brightness of everything—and no yellowish tint that often comes from bleaching clothes.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
-
More than that, the YouTuber decided to rid her face of eyebrows, bleaching the hairs above her eyes to match the hue of her hair.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two men sat on either side of her, one in a hat with WHO RESCUED WHO stitched across it and the other wearing a pearl-button shirt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Madden brought an '80s rocker vibe to show, wearing a skull on his belt and a bandana on his head.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The best way to prevent them is to always dry your sink after rinsing it.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
-
If their numbers are small, rinsing your daylilies with a strong blast of water from your garden hose is often sufficient to get rid of them.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
With its shorter, non-folding collar, a mock neck gives you that same cozy feel as a turtleneck — without bunching or folding over.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Samsung’s tri-folding phone could be expensive and niche like its Galaxy Z Fold, which only recently began gaining traction.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When a school receives five failing ratings, a 2015 Texas law requires the campus in question be closed or a state takeover of the entire district.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Howe made three changes at half-time — Ramsey for Gordon, Osula for Woltemade, Schar for Krafth — but if anything, Newcastle regressed, failing to manage a shot on target between the 39th and 89th minute.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even the combative Venezuela of eight years ago, where kids with homemade shields assembled in the streets day after day to battle the dictatorship’s goons, is a fading memory.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Cheney is remembered as a chief architect of the war in Iraq after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and a member of an old Republican Party guard that is quickly fading away.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Gerard Damiano was a smart guy, a hairdresser from the Bronx who directed Deep Throat and the follow-up, Devil in Miss Jones, which were killing it at the box office, high up on Variety’s Top 50 list of the highestgrossing films.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The storm was the deadliest typhoon to hit the country this year, killing at least 114 people, with many more reported missing — most in Cebu province, a tourist hotspot.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Washing-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washing-out. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share