WASHED-OUT Synonyms: 260 Similar and Opposite Words

washed-out 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯsht-ˈau̇t

Definition of washed-out

as in faded

lacking intensity of color washed-out blond hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

washed out

2 of 2

verb

past tense of wash out

as in collapsed

to be unsuccessful most of the participants in the tough training program washed out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in killed

to use up all the physical energy of that last illness washed the child out completely

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rinsed

to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse wash out your bathing suit in the sink

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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 washed-out

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

Galaxies, nebulas and other deep space objects become more detailed when they're not washed out by skyglow. — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the Wedge and washed out roads from about 21st Street to 6th Street, officials said. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 In the bright sunlight of the room, the glossy screen was basically a mirror and was easily washed out when viewed at an angle. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026 People walk on a road Friday washed out by the floods in Nuwakot, Nepal. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026 But poor market breadth could also mean the stock market is becoming washed out, paving the way for a rally heading into the end of the year — especially if earnings come in stronger than expected. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 Our one criticism is that dark areas sometimes seemed a little washed out, but on the margin this is a tremendous TV for the price. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 Joey Logano, who started from the pole by the rule book when rain washed out time trials, finished 20th and fell from third to fourth in the standings, a distant 67 points out of the lead. — Reid Spencer, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026 In Ocean City, Maryland, heavy surf caused beach erosion, washed out fencing by the dunes and was leading to flooding. — CBS News, 26 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for washed-out

Adjective

At the denouement, Kember is completely alone, his flat, narcotized baritone dripping onto the faded guitar notes like melted mercury.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
The Fly Faster Tee uses heavyweight cotton jersey with a faded finish, while the Patch Tee receives a heavy enzyme wash.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of faded

Adjective

Getting camera-ready Crawford never tired of redecorating her house throughout her 26 years there and had a long collaborative relationship with decorator William Haines.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
As such, the group designed this high-tech salve to revive tired skin on a cellular level, but also with a little mood boost.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tired

Verb

Ryder’s Law was reintroduced this year after another carriage horse collapsed and died in Central Park, and in a separate incident, tourist Romanch Mahajan, 18, died after falling off a carriage after the operator lost control.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
In Peru, the world’s largest catcher of anchovies, the fishing industry collapsed after the tiny baitfish abandoned the country’s waters for cooler northern climes.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of collapsed

Verb

Eco effort While over 80% of the reefs around the resort were bleached following the dramatic temperature rises of El Nino in 2016, the resort is throwing everything at its coral nursery and the green shoots are showing.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
The large works seem to be on the verge of becoming ghostly, bleached by the same relentless Florida sunlight that makes Miami Beach so visually seductive.

— Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of bleached

Verb

An employee also rinsed off their hands at the sprayer for the dish machine as a means of washing their hands.

— Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2026
The tongs used to grab pastelitos, croquetas and empanadas from the hot box had been in use more than four hours without being washed, rinsed and sanitized again.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of rinsed

Adjective

But most visitors were gathered around one explosively colorful painting in swirling shades of light and dark blue, bottle green, and pale gold.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
Instead, the surrounding sky darkens, increasing the contrast until the pale daytime moon seems to switch on at dusk and grow increasingly brilliant.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of pale

Adjective

If a year in, the founder is still in every meeting and the new hire is the most exhausted person in the building, the company did not hire an operator.

— Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
That loaded the bases, and Christian Yelich then greeted an exhausted Yamamoto with a two-run single.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of exhausted

Browse Nearby Words

washed one's hands of

washed-out

washed out

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

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Synonyms of washed-out

adjective

verb

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