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
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
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
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
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
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Nothing says happy Valentine’s Day like a collapsing birth rate.—
Kate Andrews,
Washington Post,
13 Feb. 2026
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The couple saw major flood damage during the same set of storms, with a wall collapsing and the house later condemned by the city.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His inability to recognize the oxymoron makes Cole’s introspection on this topic feel less like a genuine reckoning and more like a feeble attempt at bleaching out the darkest stains of his career.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
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For White, Bleach-Safe Clothing Gagliardi says to always avoid bleaching clothing made from materials like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex—even if the item is white.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Moments later, Carthen struts into the frame wearing a Patriot's jersey corset, an enormous fur stole, and knee-high Timberland stilettos.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 Feb. 2026
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For part of his sentence, he was allowed out to work with the Norwegian Football Federation coaching young players, while wearing an ankle tag.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pine-Sol advises wiping your vessel inside and out with a little of the product on a cloth or paper towel and rinsing with water to get them back in shape.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
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Wipe away the residue with a damp microfiber cloth, rinsing it often.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
6 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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The incident came to light after two DEA whistleblowers accused the agency of failing to address the allegations involving corruption in its Haiti operations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
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As a result, the plaintiffs argued, the administration also violated the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 by failing to consider the harmful environmental impacts of the project.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the crushing depths of the ocean or the vacuum of deep space, one of the key threats to technology is the fading battery.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
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Amid the recent furore, that trust and respect seem to be all but fading.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday morning, Russian planes dropped seven powerful glide bombs on Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, killing an 11-year-old girl and her mother, according to regional chief Vadym Filashkin.—
EMMA BURROWS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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Prosecutors say Brian Walton of Los Angeles was a stranger to Claudia Guevara, but he’s accused of killing the woman, then 23.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Washing-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washing-out. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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