flunking 1 of 2

adjective

as in failing

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flunking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of flunk
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful the movie flunks, both as entertainment and as a dramatization of a historical incident

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 flunking
Verb
Hannah starts flunking tests, missing class, and becomes totally subsumed in Melanie’s world and her instructor’s investment in her. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 12 June 2026 Lost in the shuffle at times is the 35-year-old George — in large part this season because of a 25-game suspension for flunking a drug test — who has deferred to the other three Sixers when needed yet can still flash that All-Star form. — CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 Or the employee cafeteria in the chains’ corporate overlord’s headquarters flunking an inspection? — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026 By the end of the eighth grade, Ben—now out as gay—was flunking every class. — Longreads, 3 Feb. 2026 For its misleading omissions, the Times story deserves a flunking grade. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 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 Like the Phillies, they were weakened by a key player — ex-Padre Jurickson Profar — being suspended 80 games for flunking a PED test. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flunking
  1. failing
  2. collapsing
  3. flopping
  4. missing
  5. struggling
Adjective
  • The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.
    — Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Jan. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Scientists have discovered that copper melts gradually rather than collapsing all at once under extreme heat.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Videos posted to social media showed buildings collapsing and panicked residents running and screaming, as dust filled the sky.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Perez chugged around the bases before belly-flopping into third base with his trademark smile.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • Ordinarily, the subtle tilt in the moon's orbit causes its shadow to pass just below, or above our planet, missing it entirely.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In between, Nelson was fired after less than one season in New York in 1995-96, then coached in Dallas for eight seasons, missing 21 games with the Mavericks starting in December 2000 to recuperate from prostate cancer surgery.
    — John Raby, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of missing
Verb
  • Similar to Abrams, the young shortstop had shown a knack for exceptional, highlight-reel plays while struggling with consistency.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Flagship carriers including American, Lufthansa, Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines are all struggling to navigate the lengthy, multi-year approval process for bespoke cabins.
    — Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggling

Browse Nearby Words

flunkies
flunking
flunks
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Cite this Entry

“Flunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flunking. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flunking

Nglish: Translation of flunking for Spanish Speakers

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