as in fails
to be unsuccessful
even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used
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Recent Examples of flames out
Firefighters instead used heavy equipment to cover it with dirt to put the flames out.
—
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Our dream of going back to the moon and onto Mars and more distant worlds—not least to ensure our species’ survival before the sun flames out and engulfs most of the solar system—can be seen as just one more step in evolution’s long march.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Our dream of going back to the moon and onto Mars and more distant worlds—not least to ensure our species’ survival before the sun flames out and engulfs most of the solar system—can be seen as just one more step in evolution’s long march.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flames out
Verb
-
When folding goes wrong, the protein often fails.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That’s led to questions about whether the California billionaire activism would continue if Mahan’s governor bid fails and the wealth tax passes.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the video demonstrates, von Ensingen’s drawing (not in the show, alas) collapses all the levels, complete with stairs, setbacks, vaults, and columns, onto a single plane.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
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For Tottenham, what once felt unthinkable is fast becoming one of the most remarkable collapses the 34-year Premier League era has seen.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately for shareholders, the stock grants come with a feature similar to equity options that somewhat reduces Musk’s payday, especially in a case like the one above where the plan flops.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Nov. 2025
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Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Why the quest will fall short And finally Shohei Ohtani hits three homers and strikes out 10 in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
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Perfect Tom strikes out once again, not on the look but on the flavors.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The cushions are bouncy and covered in a fade-resistant material, and when not in use, the chair folds to save space.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
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The folding lock design, such as the Kryptonite Kryptolok Folding Bicycle Lock, folds down to a small size for transport.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The United States bombs Iran's nuclear facilities days later.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
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Page Six gets a Hollywood edition Papps declined last week to reveal what stories his reporters were chasing and what bombs the political columnists will throw in its first editions.—
Christopher Weber,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This is a good quarterback room that should be able to keep the ship afloat if Prescott misses a small amount of time.—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Nutritional Benefits Beyond Protein Focusing only on protein misses what mushrooms actually do well.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The risk is Sadiq doesn’t see a full workload as a rookie, struggles for targets while competing with Mitchell and others, and Geno Smith doesn’t bounce back.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Republicans have a tiny four-vote majority in the chamber, and the president’s party historically struggles in midterm balloting.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flames out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flames%20out. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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