flameout

1 of 2

noun

flame·​out ˈflām-ˌau̇t 

1

: the unintentional cessation of operation of a jet airplane engine

2

: a sudden downfall, failure, or cessation

3

: a person whose successful career ends abruptly

flame out

2 of 2

verb

flamed out; flaming out; flames out

intransitive verb

: to fail spectacularly and especially prematurely

Synonyms

Noun

• comedown
• decline
• dégringolade
• demise
• descent
• down
• downfall
• fall
• Götterdämmerung

Verb

• bomb
• collapse
• crater
• fail
• flop
• flunk
• fold
• founder
• miss
• strike out
• tank
• wash out

Examples of flameout in a Sentence

Noun

Fans were disappointed by the team's flameout in the play-offs.

before her sudden, self-inflicted flameout, she was one of the state's brightest political stars

Verb

even at the reception, some were predicting that the marriage would flame out before the fancy china ever got used

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The unforeseen move Friday was Vargas’ promotion, with the Dodgers recalling last year’s rookie flameout following a strong start to his triple A season. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024

This is hardly the first flameout for the conference. —Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024

Verb

The firm, which operated a U.S. portfolio of 5,200 units in 12 cities, now joins a growing list of co-living operators who have flamed out, leaving questions about the future viability of the model. —Seamus Webster, Fortune, 10 June 2024

One of the adults, who was not a district employee, was wielding a flamethrower-like device during the incident and shot flames out of it three times. —David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined above