as in dying
to stop living
the patient was fading fast, and doctors expected him to flatline before the night was over
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Recent Examples of flatlining
Neuromodulation is necessary for keeping the brain’s activity level in a functional range, preventing it from either flatlining or erupting in seizures.
—
Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
The episode ends with Monty flatlining in the hospital as Cami and their daughters cry for him.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
The rest are flatlining or folding entirely.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Despite a global pandemic flatlining the music industry, Hynes contributed to albums by Lorde and Turnstile, crafted film scores for Passing and Master Gardener, and just last year penned some original music for the Broadway play Job.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
The episode ends with Monty flatlining in the hospital as Cami and their daughters cry for him.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2025
The rest are flatlining or folding entirely.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Despite a global pandemic flatlining the music industry, Hynes contributed to albums by Lorde and Turnstile, crafted film scores for Passing and Master Gardener, and just last year penned some original music for the Broadway play Job.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flatlining
Verb
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Concord police said a physical altercation involving several adults, near an elementary school, ended with a man dying Wednesday evening.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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McCray’s flashlight began dying, and Corder passed him a spare.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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All of this comes at a time when the market has greater appetite for larger scale deals, despite Lauder’s falling stock price.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flatlining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flatlining. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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