1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color
washed-out blond hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
feeling washed-out after the endless primary season, the party's nominee needs a vacation more than anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in collapsed
to be unsuccessful
most of the participants in the tough training program washed out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleached
to make white or whiter by removing color
the bright lights of the TV studio washed out her facial features, making her look as white as a ghost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in killed
to use up all the physical energy of
that last illness washed the child out completely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in rinsed
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse
wash out your bathing suit in the sink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of washed-out
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Images incorporated into the mayor’s video showed washed-out or collapsed roads, a car stuck in floodwaters and raging waterways.
—
Sophia Tareen,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Intense flash flooding in towns like Wrightwood and Phelan in recent weeks caused devastating mudslides and washed-out roads, forcing people to be rescued by helicopter.
—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
The magic lies in its warmth, which prevents the face from looking washed-out.
—
María Diez,
Vogue,
17 Nov. 2025
Images generally have washed-out colors and an overall dark tone.
—
PC Magazine,
25 July 2025
Lindsay’s nails cause the color of the nail bed to look half white and half red or brown, whereas Terry’s nails cause the nail bed to look mostly white or washed-out, per Cleveland Clinic.
—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA TODAY,
12 Nov. 2024
This shade leans totally into nude territory without being washed-out.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
25 July 2024
The picture is bright, though some high-contrast shots of silhouetted objects show slightly muddy or washed-out shadow details; the contours of a lioness against a sunset are slightly indistinct, while trees against a stormy sky are a bit too light.
—
PCMAG,
30 May 2024
Kansas City Public Library Staff,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
At least five people were killed, and dozens were sought following severe storms in Kentucky and Tennessee that triggered flash floods and washed out roads, officials said.
—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Because the dirt road was narrow, muddy and frequently washed out, Cantrell envisioned a new road heading west and ascending the hilltop of Pulaski Heights, near what is now Allsopp Park.
—
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2026
That's because the odor is washed out in the rinse cycle, leaving behind only the benefits of adding it to the wash.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
During a hurricane, leaf litter blown or washed out of the canopy ended up in the complex network of roots below, providing a pulse of nutrients that enhanced the production of new roots and hastened mangrove recovery.
—
John Kominoski,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
The library shots exhibit overexposure; the books on the shelves appear washed out and blown out, and are too bright.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
2 June 2026
The United Nations said in 1989 if global warming wasn’t stopped by 2000, entire nations could be washed out by rising seas.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Momentum is neither extended nor washed out, which is actually fine at the early stage of a breakout retest.
—
Josh Brown,sean Russo,
CNBC,
26 May 2026
Adjective
Numerous roads washed-out, collapsing down into the ground.
—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Images incorporated into the mayor’s video showed washed-out or collapsed roads, a car stuck in floodwaters and raging waterways.
—
Sophia Tareen,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Intense flash flooding in towns like Wrightwood and Phelan in recent weeks caused devastating mudslides and washed-out roads, forcing people to be rescued by helicopter.
—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
The magic lies in its warmth, which prevents the face from looking washed-out.
—
María Diez,
Vogue,
17 Nov. 2025
Images generally have washed-out colors and an overall dark tone.
—
PC Magazine,
25 July 2025
Lindsay’s nails cause the color of the nail bed to look half white and half red or brown, whereas Terry’s nails cause the nail bed to look mostly white or washed-out, per Cleveland Clinic.
—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA TODAY,
12 Nov. 2024
This shade leans totally into nude territory without being washed-out.
—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
25 July 2024
The picture is bright, though some high-contrast shots of silhouetted objects show slightly muddy or washed-out shadow details; the contours of a lioness against a sunset are slightly indistinct, while trees against a stormy sky are a bit too light.
—
PCMAG,
30 May 2024
Verb
Around noon, employers urged Kansans working in downtown KCMO to return home in case the bridges washed out.
—
Kansas City Public Library Staff,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
At least five people were killed, and dozens were sought following severe storms in Kentucky and Tennessee that triggered flash floods and washed out roads, officials said.
—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Because the dirt road was narrow, muddy and frequently washed out, Cantrell envisioned a new road heading west and ascending the hilltop of Pulaski Heights, near what is now Allsopp Park.
—
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2026
That's because the odor is washed out in the rinse cycle, leaving behind only the benefits of adding it to the wash.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
During a hurricane, leaf litter blown or washed out of the canopy ended up in the complex network of roots below, providing a pulse of nutrients that enhanced the production of new roots and hastened mangrove recovery.
—
John Kominoski,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
The library shots exhibit overexposure; the books on the shelves appear washed out and blown out, and are too bright.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
2 June 2026
The United Nations said in 1989 if global warming wasn’t stopped by 2000, entire nations could be washed out by rising seas.
—
Letters To The Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Momentum is neither extended nor washed out, which is actually fine at the early stage of a breakout retest.
—
Josh Brown,sean Russo,
CNBC,
26 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-out
Adjective
-
Eric_Lynxweiler | Courtesy of Latinos in Heritage Conservation The Silver Platter, with its faded crimson awning along a stretch in Los Angeles’ Westlake District, doesn’t look like much from the outside.
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The faded fabric, buttery-soft cotton, and contrast-trim neckline lend it a vintage vibe that won’t look out of place when paired with more contemporary pieces.
Adjective
-
Depredation occurs when a shark steals an angler’s catch off their line, and Florida’s fishers are tired of it.
-
Pugh is tired of seeing her mom suffer by no fault of her own.
Verb
-
Witnesses said ambulances and rescue workers rushed to the scene after the roof collapsed.
-
Families of the people in both apartment buildings – and others that collapsed in the area – have uploaded videos to social media in the days after the earthquake, pleading for help.
Verb
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After seeing their brows bleached for the first time at our shoot, Megan and Daniela’s excited screams cause everyone’s heads to whip toward the glam room in a mixture of both fear and curiosity.
-
Ortega can be seen leaving her Wednesday-era long jet-black hair and bleached eyebrows behind.
Verb
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Historians estimate that the North American epidemic killed at least 100,000 to 130,000 people over several years.
-
Wednesday marked one year since an explosion at a Northern California fireworks facility killed seven workers and changed the lives of their families forever.
Verb
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And a pig like me would have picked Bing’s face up off the dirt, rinsed it in cold water from his canteen, and felt the skin flex in the palm of his hand.
-
Ensure petals are thoroughly rinsed before use.
Adjective
-
That’s also when a Seattle gastroenterologist named Walter Voegtlin published a pale volume with a drawing of a loincloth-wearing hominid on the cover.
-
Bartlett’s character is like a rock slab, a vestige of an ancient religion, brought to life in overlapping strips of muslin, linen, and leather in shades of dove, cream, gray, and pale blue, with his hood pulled tight around his face and his hands wrapped in mittens.
Adjective
-
But Eustaquio moved — likely exhausted — in union with his team towards South Africa’s box.
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Back-to-back overnights left Greenwald exhausted and depressed.
Cite this Entry
“Washed-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washed-out. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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