as in failing
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Dissimilar Words
as in collapsing
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 flunking
CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Or the employee cafeteria in the chains’ corporate overlord’s headquarters flunking an inspection?
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
By the end of the eighth grade, Ben—now out as gay—was flunking every class.
—Longreads, 3 Feb. 2026
For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Conservatives, with few exceptions, united behind her, arguing the controversy was an example of a left-wing instructor flunking a student over their Christian beliefs.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
The coursework was intense, and the two struggled, even flunking some classes.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
Like the Phillies, they were weakened by a key player — ex-Padre Jurickson Profar — being suspended 80 games for flunking a PED test.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Lost in the shuffle at times is the 35-year-old George — in large part this season because of a 25-game suspension for flunking a drug test — who has deferred to the other three Sixers when needed yet can still flash that All-Star form.
—CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Or the employee cafeteria in the chains’ corporate overlord’s headquarters flunking an inspection?
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
By the end of the eighth grade, Ben—now out as gay—was flunking every class.
—Longreads, 3 Feb. 2026
For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Conservatives, with few exceptions, united behind her, arguing the controversy was an example of a left-wing instructor flunking a student over their Christian beliefs.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 14 Dec. 2025
The coursework was intense, and the two struggled, even flunking some classes.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025
Like the Phillies, they were weakened by a key player — ex-Padre Jurickson Profar — being suspended 80 games for flunking a PED test.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunking
Adjective
-
The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.—
Noah Alcala Bach,
San Antonio Express-News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There have been 22 reports of the stools collapsing, with six injuries, including bruising and scrapes.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Cuba’s economy, which has been in a steep decline for several years, has hit rock bottom, and the population has been enduring shortages, blackouts and the effects of collapsing infrastructure.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Trimming by half will keep the foliage from completely flopping over and retaining too much moisture around the crown.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
9 May 2026
-
Much of the discussion following the game is about flopping and supposed favorable whistles for the Thunder.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Is an important event missing from this date?—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
You could be forgiven for missing the name.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Many libraries’ orders went unfulfilled, and all but the largest ones were left struggling to get popular titles to their patrons.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Across Oahu’s North Shore, an area famed for its big-wave surfing, the small farms that help supply the island’s food are struggling after back-to-back storms in March brought the state’s worst flooding in two decades.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunking. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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