as in fails
to be unsuccessful
even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used
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Recent Examples of flames out
Firefighters instead used heavy equipment to cover it with dirt to put the flames out.
—
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Our dream of going back to the moon and onto Mars and more distant worlds—not least to ensure our species’ survival before the sun flames out and engulfs most of the solar system—can be seen as just one more step in evolution’s long march.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Our dream of going back to the moon and onto Mars and more distant worlds—not least to ensure our species’ survival before the sun flames out and engulfs most of the solar system—can be seen as just one more step in evolution’s long march.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames out
Verb
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But, elsewhere in Cook County, property taxes are what school districts must turn to when the state fails to support public education at the level most other states do.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Then, an ultrasound mid-way through pregnancy showed that her baby had anencephaly, a fatal condition in which the skull fails to develop properly.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That was one of our very strong stakes in the ground, to have a nuclear meltdown where the mountain collapses and Sinatra sacrifices herself.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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For a few weeks every March, American productivity collapses into a blur of fake doctor’s appointments and furtive glances at phones under conference tables as the NCAA’s annual basketball tournament subsumes the culture.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately for shareholders, the stock grants come with a feature similar to equity options that somewhat reduces Musk’s payday, especially in a case like the one above where the plan flops.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Nov. 2025
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Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Why the quest will fall short And finally Shohei Ohtani hits three homers and strikes out 10 in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
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Perfect Tom strikes out once again, not on the look but on the flavors.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Today, Jake folds his own laundry.—
Stephen Johnson,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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The bag also folds and stays flat for storage.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The United States bombs Iran's nuclear facilities days later.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
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Page Six gets a Hollywood edition Papps declined last week to reveal what stories his reporters were chasing and what bombs the political columnists will throw in its first editions.—
Christopher Weber,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Moreover, most studies recorded insurance status only at the time of diagnosis, which misses changes that happen during treatment.—
Rhonda Winegar,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Birdfy misses most often when a bird is too close to the camera, poorly lit, or facing away from the camera.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Most important for companies considering replacing patches of their workforce with AI, the MIT data suggests AI struggles to perform more complicated tasks.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Peet plays a therapist who struggles with her own mental health and the health and familial changes that occur during midlife.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames%20out. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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