as in to fail
to be unsuccessful
the movie flunks, both as entertainment and as a dramatization of a historical incident
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flunk
For the first time in his life, Kevin was flunking classes — bizarre for a math nerd and high school salutatorian.
—
Ellen Barry, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
What is a bit surprising is that the loss was the third consecutive time the Steelers have faced a big test — and completely flunked it.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Ruth used that run-in to inform Franks of why Gibbs flunked his psych eval, and to call him on the carpet for dodging the boy’s calls/visits.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
The Eagles will be a measuring stick During a 27-13 loss that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate, the Steelers flunked that test.
—Mike Defabo, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Ellen Barry, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
What is a bit surprising is that the loss was the third consecutive time the Steelers have faced a big test — and completely flunked it.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Ruth used that run-in to inform Franks of why Gibbs flunked his psych eval, and to call him on the carpet for dodging the boy’s calls/visits.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
The Eagles will be a measuring stick During a 27-13 loss that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate, the Steelers flunked that test.
—Mike Defabo, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunk
Verb
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The agency failed to answer thousands of calls from flood survivors after allowing contracts for call-center workers to lapse one day after the disaster, according to The New York Times.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
15 July 2025
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Last July, when the blade failed, foam fiberglass and other debris settled to the ocean floor, entered the water table and littered Nantucket beaches for months.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
Verb
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In handcuffs, Miyake collapsed momentarily outside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
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Together, they’re poised to do something far more radical: collapse the traditional SaaS model and usher in a new era of decentralized, intelligent orchestration.—
Deepinder Singh Sethi,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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However, tall varieties, which can reach 5 feet in height, should be staked to keep them upright and prevent them from flopping over nearby plants.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 July 2025
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During Fan Expo Denver, Fraser gave his take on why the follow-up flopped, per Collider.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Conduct targeted workplace surveys to understand how employees experience the office today—what works, what doesn’t and what’s missing.—
Alaa Pasha,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Antivirus adds a crucial layer of protection by scanning for threats that browsers alone might miss, but it should be combined with safe browsing habits for best results.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunk. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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