as in to fail
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 flunk
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
That brings us to the three candidates who didn’t necessarily flunk, some of whom even flirted with adulthood.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flunk
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
That brings us to the three candidates who didn’t necessarily flunk, some of whom even flirted with adulthood.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunk
Verb
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The lawsuit alleged that Bank of America failed to file suspicious activity reports, known as SARs, until after Epstein's death in 2019.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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During the next two and a half years, Beckham and various investors tried, and failed, to land a stadium deal.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Regional sports networks that handled the technical know-how of producing and distributing games across a home team’s market have largely collapsed.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
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How the deal collapsed Thune had a deal with Democratic senators after negotiating for weeks on their demands for new restrictions on the department’s immigration enforcement work.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But that effort has flopped, because the SAVE America Act doesn't have the votes to pass in the Senate.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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Girlfriend scales the diaristic, bric-a-brac charm of Janky Star into a high-drama pop monument to trying, flopping, and trying even harder next time.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kane did not play either of them, missing the Japan game as a precaution.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Will County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday that more remains have been found in the same location where the bones of a missing man were discovered last week.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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