as in failed
to be unsuccessful
the movie flunks, both as entertainment and as a dramatization of a historical incident
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Recent Examples of flunked
The company was born from the will of a man who grew up dirt-poor in Baltimore, flunked fifth grade, served in Vietnam and became a billionaire.
—
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Ultragenyx lost more than $1 billion in market value after its bone drug flunked late-stage clinical trials.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
But, ultimately, the Rockies flunked, losing a 4-3 gut-puncher when the Mariners scored three runs in the eighth off relievers Juan Mejia and Victor Vodnik.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Ultragenyx lost more than $1 billion in market value after its bone drug flunked late-stage clinical trials.
—Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
But, ultimately, the Rockies flunked, losing a 4-3 gut-puncher when the Mariners scored three runs in the eighth off relievers Juan Mejia and Victor Vodnik.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunked
Verb
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Two months later, the appointment of another nominee, Keith Fountain, failed in a 5-4 decision of the Board of Directors, falling one short of the six votes necessary to confirm him.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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Federal overreach has failed our children, with literacy rates falling and a bloated federal budget wasting taxpayer dollars.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Flies and roach poop caused a mall food court chain’s Kendall location to fail inspection last week, a week after its Hialeah location also flopped inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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The Chiefs flopped in free agency and didn’t act quickly enough in a draft that had running back depth.—
Sam McDowell
February 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Bulls eventually collapsed in a 136-120 loss to the Nuggets before a sellout crowd of 20,939, but the start of the latest rebuild that can’t be called a rebuild was off to an interesting first step nonetheless.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
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Desperate social media posts from residents reached a fever pitch over the past week, with residents sharing photos of sheets of ice on exterior walls and a ceiling collapsed on cars in a garage.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Colt Gray had enrolled at the school on August 14 and had already missed nine days of classes leading up to the shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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The reports involved an unknown individual calling several people purporting to be a law enforcement officer, falsely stating that the victims had outstanding warrants, had failed to appear for jury duty or missed a court appearance.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The results showed that while standard chemical leaching struggled without gravity to move fluids, the microbes didn’t blink.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
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The passenger was able to exit the truck while the suspect, still armed with the knife, struggled with the driver.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Parchment may need to be cut or folded to get the right shape, while a lid is designed to fit its container perfectly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
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Consumer advocates estimate that residential electricity costs are up close to 30% for many households since 2021 once rate hikes, fees, and fuel adjustments are folded in.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flunked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunked. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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