washing-out 1 of 2

adjective

as in failing

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washing out

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wash out
1
as in collapsing
to be unsuccessful most of the participants in the tough training program washed out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bleaching
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

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3
as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of that last illness washed the child out completely

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4
as in rinsing
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 washing-out
Verb
Even in blazing sunlight, the screen cuts right through the glare without washing out. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 The intense lunar spotlight casts significant glare across the cluster, heavily washing out its faint blue reflection nebulosity. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Many astronomers concluded that big black holes dotted the universe, washing out the light of the stars in their host galaxies. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 The scalp scrubs that made our final list lathered well and did a good job of washing out fully, no matter the size of the exfoliating particles. — Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026 Rain postponed the start of play, washing out the entire morning session and much of the second. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 The area has already be hit hard, with floodwaters washing out roads and causing evacuation of homes. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2026 The downpour knocked out power to nearly 4,000 residents and caused significant structural damage to infrastructure, including washing out sections of Highway 52 near Hancock Drive. — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Chief among the dangers is climate change that has led to rising seas and erosion washing out oystercatcher nests. — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washing-out
  1. failing
  2. collapsing
  3. bleaching
  4. wearing
  5. rinsing
  6. folding
  7. striking out
  8. fading
Adjective
  • The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and International Criminal Court, which all got failing grades in last year's survey, saw the biggest gains.
    — Andrea Shalal, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • 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
  • With the Bears trailing the Steelers 17-14 in the fourth quarter, Ditka caught a short pass and broke eight tackles before collapsing to the turf after a 63-yard gain that set up the tying field goal.
    — Ira Kaufman, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Merging with a magnetar All neutron stars are created the same way from the collapsing core of a massive star, but not all neutron stars are equal.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapsing
Verb
  • The researchers first treated the cotton with sodium dithionite, a reducing agent, before bleaching it with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Discoloration to Your Driveway Commercial weed killers can stain driveways by leaving behind white chalky residues, bleaching the stone, or damaging protective surface sealers.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026
Definition of bleaching
Verb
  • Around me were fellow guests wearing Fendi headscarves and puffy Prada vests — none yet of the business travellers checking in with expense accounts.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Dozens of protesters, many of them young, dressed in black and wearing masks, threw rocks and firecrackers at police at the central Brussels railway station, before setting several fires, one to a pile of city bikes and electric scooters.
    — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of wearing
Verb
  • Maintain your tub by rinsing, wiping after use, avoiding bath oils, and ventilating.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Take an extra beat (and a bit of water) to emulsify the formula before rinsing it off for a thorough cleanse.
    — Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of rinsing
Adjective
  • Apple already offers this feature on non-folding iPhones, but those devices must be plugged in and propped up on their side.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
  • During the event, Ternus also introduced the latest version of the company’s non-folding smartphone, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of folding
Verb
  • King set the tone by striking out probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong with the first three pitches.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The lefty allowed just the one run and three hits while striking out six.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of striking out
Verb
  • New England beat Buffalo so the public isn't exactly fading the Patriots, but this still feels like a bit of a trap line to me.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Efforts are underway to rekindle this fading heritage before their skills are lost.
    — Kelly Kasulis Cho, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fading

Browse Nearby Words

washing one's hands of
washing-out
washing out
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Cite this Entry

“Washing-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washing-out. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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