as in failing
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of washing-out
Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
That's it—no waiting and washing out required.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Helene caused catastrophic damage across western North Carolina, washing out roads including stretches of Interstate 40 that collapsed into the Pigeon River Gorge, damaging bridges and isolating entire communities.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 21 Jan. 2026
Dallas’ defense has been bad on third downs, washing out a resurgent Dak Prescott season (second in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
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
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
Tiny water droplets can scatter light, washing out the vivid reds and oranges.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
That's it—no waiting and washing out required.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Helene caused catastrophic damage across western North Carolina, washing out roads including stretches of Interstate 40 that collapsed into the Pigeon River Gorge, damaging bridges and isolating entire communities.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 21 Jan. 2026
Dallas’ defense has been bad on third downs, washing out a resurgent Dak Prescott season (second in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
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
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
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On even longer timescales, the remnant black holes that were created, whether from stellar explosions, neutron star mergers, a collapsing gas cloud, or having grown into supermassive behemoths, will all evaporate.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
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CDs were collapsing, streaming hadn’t yet found its footing, and most of the conversation centered on what was being lost.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The figure skater actually began bleaching her own hair with a paintbrush—and only brought in a professional right before the 2026 Winter Olympics.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
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Fierce sunlight bleaching the stones of the old city, blinding the passengers as porters in white kaffiyehs and djellabas stack their portmanteaus on donkey carts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Minutes later, wearing a blue lanyard with a solid gold medal hanging across his chest, Tkachuk called into the stands for Gaudreau’s two children to join the official team picture.—
Chris Kudialis,
Miami Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
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That ruling paved the way for federal immigration officials to continue wearing masks during California operations.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Drying Blueberries After Washing After rinsing the blueberries, pour onto paper towels or a clean cloth and pat dry.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
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Carve Out an Outdoor Shower For rinsing off after a day at the nearby beach, Wood installed an outdoor shower.—
Rory Evans,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The spatial geomagnetic sensing is achieved with a folding, extendable robotic arm that carries the Hidonix Acquisition Module, which includes the HEC (Hidonix Embedded Computer from Nvidia) that runs proprietary firmware designed for precise geomagnetic signal acquisition.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The first few generations of those devices had subpar cameras compared to standard, non-folding phones and a visible crease running down the middle, among other shortcomings.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Israel’s government has repeatedly criticized its counterpart in Australia for failing to address antisemitic attacks in the country.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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The prosecution detailed nine separate errors made by Plamberger during the climb—from failing to bring bivy gear to failing to abide by a reasonable turnaround time—which collectively suggest a charge of gross negligence.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the era of easy, equity-like returns is fading as the asset class matures and competition intensifies, private credit’s growth phase is not over just yet, said PitchBook analyst Kyle Walters.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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The foothills in the distance become burnished in the golden hour’s fading light.—
Audrey T. Williams,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But not having Rodney Rice’s shooting is killing us.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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The attackers later ambushed two ambulances transporting the wounded, killing three officers and burning their bodies before fleeing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Washing-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washing-out. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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