FLUNKS Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

flunks

verb

present tense third-person singular of flunk

as in fails

to be unsuccessful the movie flunks, both as entertainment and as a dramatization of a historical incident

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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 flunks During the January oral arguments, a majority sounded ready to rule that the law flunks the historical tradition test. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 18 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunks

Verb

Like eyes, ears and lungs, a person can live a relatively normal and active life if one organ in the natural set fails.

— Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026
Kick the can If Congress fails to act, payments are expected to be 22% lower, which could be devastating for the millions of seniors who rely on their Social Security benefits to pay for basic necessities.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of fails

Verb

Cincinnati respondents repeatedly pointed to Scott Satterfield, consecutive November collapses and the program’s inability to keep pace financially.

— Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Currency collapses, banking crises, and deep recessions struck the East Asian deficit countries, while the surplus countries bore few costs.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of collapses

Verb

In Bait, Ahmed stars as struggling actor Shah Latif, who flops in his audition to play James Bond and then becomes consumed by the quest to become the first Pakistani 007.

— Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
Starter addition flops Last season’s trade deadline wound up being a big flop.

— Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of flops

Verb

But Joe never misses an opportunity to supplant her husband’s rational concerns with her imperial view of a society infected by an unseen, venomous other.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026
Lake Howell’s defense forces a field goal attempt, and Seminole misses.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of misses

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flunking

flunks

flunky

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“Flunks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunks. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of flunks

verb

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