flaming out

verb

present participle of flame out
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of flaming out The team ended up flaming out in the first round of the Copa América, and panic ensued. — Leander Schaerlaeckens, New Yorker, 22 May 2026 Despite missing the playoffs with a 42-40 record and flaming out of the Play-In Tournament against the Golden State Warriors, the Clippers did not have their own first-round pick, part of the cost for the 2019 swap of 2018 lottery pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 2019 MVP finalist Paul George. — Law Murray, New York Times, 11 May 2026 With a growing number of rookie quarterbacks struggling and flaming out in recent years, the Raiders, who have only had one quarterback start 10 or more games in consecutive seasons in the last two decades (Derek Carr), likely want to play Mendoza’s development safe. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 Swinging a big trade can be the difference in a team winning a championship or flaming out early in the playoffs. — Mike Barner, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Jack Harper, back working in his hometown after flaming out elsewhere, living as the responsible adult with an adorable little niece and her depressed, alcoholic mother, Zoe (Marin Ireland). — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026 After the first two films, the series switched hands to seasoned parody veterans David Zucker and Pat Proft before flaming out with the fifth entry in 2013. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025 The left side of their line is a huge question mark between tackle and guard, where Kingsley Suamataia might settle after flaming out at tackle. — James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flaming out
  1. collapsing
  2. failing
  3. striking out
  4. flopping
  5. folding
  6. missing
  7. washing out
  8. struggling
Verb
  • His message delivery is no more successful than Todd’s, and now the entire conference is in danger of collapsing.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The wounded man fled across the parking lot before collapsing near Seminary Drive, where responding officers attempted lifesaving measures.
    — Giles Hudson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • The water main break was the latest in Los Angeles over the last few months as officials struggle with aging infrastructure and failing water systems that have caused major disruptions for motorists and residents.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • After years of bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and racketeering, Capone went down not for murder or mayhem but for failing to pay taxes.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Though there is a political risk inherent in striking out in a solitary direction, there can also be reward.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • King set the tone by striking out probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong with the first three pitches.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of striking out
Verb
  • The reason this call matters is due to an emphasis by officials on flopping heading into the 2026-27 season.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The tall foliage of bearded iris (Iris germanica) begins flopping early in the growing season.
    — Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • Teams then cyclize the peptide, folding a linear amino acid chain into a ring, and swap individual amino acids for more stable alternatives.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For starters, the amino acid must be compatible with the backbone folding up into its planned structure.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • Another group of fourth graders in Texas came up with the idea to deploy AI to identify and locate missing students in an emergency like a fire or school lockdown.
    — Kiryn Hoffman, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Days into their expedition, the team searching for Amelia Earhart’s missing plane is battling severe weather — and racing to identify a mysterious object that could finally solve the aviator's disappearance.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of missing
Verb
  • Even in blazing sunlight, the screen cuts right through the glare without washing out.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The intense lunar spotlight casts significant glare across the cluster, heavily washing out its faint blue reflection nebulosity.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of washing out
Verb
  • But while most young people are struggling to land their first opportunity, some have jumped the line by building their own small businesses and startups—and young founders are now ramping up hiring even as companies across industries slow theirs.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The film includes flashbacks to his time in the war and features a parallel story about his young carer struggling to make ends meet.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of struggling

Browse Nearby Words

flamingly
flaming out
flammable
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Cite this Entry

“Flaming out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flaming%20out. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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