Flunk
verb
To fail, especially in an exam or course.
He flunked his math test because he didn't study.
Often appears as...
- flunk out
- flunk an exam
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
verb
To avoid doing something because you fear to fail.
She flunked going to the audition because she was afraid she wouldn't get the part.
Often appears as...
- flunk doing something
- flunk facing something
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
verb
To fail, especially in an exam or course.
He flunked his math test because he didn't study.
Often appears as...
- flunk out
- flunk an exam
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
verb
To avoid doing something because you fear to fail.
She flunked going to the audition because she was afraid she wouldn't get the part.
Often appears as...
- flunk doing something
- flunk facing something
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Outcome
Flunk denotes achieving below the required standard, often in academic settings.
After flunking chemistry, he had to repeat the course.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Usage
Flunk is informal and might be inappropriate in formal educational writings or announcements.
The professor would not say you flunked, but rather that you did not pass.
Pro Tip 3/3Stricter Context
'Flunk out' implies failing to the point of having to leave the course or school.
His constant partying led him to flunk out of college.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Outcome
Flunk denotes achieving below the required standard, often in academic settings.
After flunking chemistry, he had to repeat the course.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Usage
Flunk is informal and might be inappropriate in formal educational writings or announcements.
The professor would not say you flunked, but rather that you did not pass.
Pro Tip 3/3Stricter Context
'Flunk out' implies failing to the point of having to leave the course or school.
His constant partying led him to flunk out of college.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Outcome
Flunk denotes achieving below the required standard, often in academic settings.
After flunking chemistry, he had to repeat the course.
Pro Tip 2/3Informal Usage
Flunk is informal and might be inappropriate in formal educational writings or announcements.
The professor would not say you flunked, but rather that you did not pass.
Pro Tip 3/3Stricter Context
'Flunk out' implies failing to the point of having to leave the course or school.
His constant partying led him to flunk out of college.
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Video examples
Bill Strickland:...
you get kids flowers you give them food and you give them sunshine and enthusiasm you can bring a rag back to life I have 400 kids from the Pittsburgh Public School System that come to me every day of the week for arts education and these are children who are flunking out of public school and last year I put
Video examples
The beauty of being a...
Like legions of other children, I came from an abusive household that I narrowly escaped with my life. I already had two epically failed marriages underneath my belt. I'd flunked out of college not once but twice and maybe even a third time that I'm not going to tell you about.
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
and yet I very rarely see it in the movies that we know and love. In fact, this week I went to see a very high-quality movie, "Argo." Right? Oscar buzz, doing great at the box office, a consensus idea of what a quality Hollywood film is. It pretty much flunks the Bechdel test.
Video examples
Maira Kalman: The...
And I didn't -- and I'd never used it in school, because I was too busy writing poems, and flunking out, and I don't know what, sitting in cafes. But I picked it up and I started reading it and I thought, this book is amazing. I said, people should know about this book.
Video examples
Your brain is more than...
the tube containing the blue odor that was paired with shock well if you do this test on dopamine receptor mutant flies they don't learn their learning score is zero they flunk out of Caltech now so that means that these flies have two abnormalities or phenotypes as we
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
doing great at the box office a consensus idea of what a quality Hollywood film is pretty much flunks the Bechtel test and I don't think it should because there a lot of the movie and oh no if you've seen it but a lot of the movie takes place in this embassy where
Video examples
David Anderson: Your...
it avoids the tube containing the blue odor that was paired with shock. Well, if you do this test on dopamine receptor mutant flies, they don't learn. Their learning score is zero. They flunk out of CalTech.
Video examples
How to Raise Successful...
to be happy and successful in life. Happy and successful people went to state school, went to a small college no one has heard of, went to community college, went to a college over here and flunked out.
Video examples
First-Time Smuggler PIPE...
departure day the two flunking guys they come to the room with the suitcase they pulled the packages out of the suitcase they laid them on the bed and
Video examples
Bill Strickland:...
These were children who the whole world had given up on, who were flunking out of public school, and that's what they're capable of doing
Video examples
Bill Strickland:...
you get kids flowers you give them food and you give them sunshine and enthusiasm you can bring a rag back to life I have 400 kids from the Pittsburgh Public School System that come to me every day of the week for arts education and these are children who are flunking out of public school and last year I put
Video examples
The beauty of being a...
Like legions of other children, I came from an abusive household that I narrowly escaped with my life. I already had two epically failed marriages underneath my belt. I'd flunked out of college not once but twice and maybe even a third time that I'm not going to tell you about.
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
and yet I very rarely see it in the movies that we know and love. In fact, this week I went to see a very high-quality movie, "Argo." Right? Oscar buzz, doing great at the box office, a consensus idea of what a quality Hollywood film is. It pretty much flunks the Bechdel test.
Video examples
Maira Kalman: The...
And I didn't -- and I'd never used it in school, because I was too busy writing poems, and flunking out, and I don't know what, sitting in cafes. But I picked it up and I started reading it and I thought, this book is amazing. I said, people should know about this book.
Video examples
Your brain is more than...
the tube containing the blue odor that was paired with shock well if you do this test on dopamine receptor mutant flies they don't learn their learning score is zero they flunk out of Caltech now so that means that these flies have two abnormalities or phenotypes as we
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
doing great at the box office a consensus idea of what a quality Hollywood film is pretty much flunks the Bechtel test and I don't think it should because there a lot of the movie and oh no if you've seen it but a lot of the movie takes place in this embassy where
Video examples
David Anderson: Your...
it avoids the tube containing the blue odor that was paired with shock. Well, if you do this test on dopamine receptor mutant flies, they don't learn. Their learning score is zero. They flunk out of CalTech.
Video examples
How to Raise Successful...
to be happy and successful in life. Happy and successful people went to state school, went to a small college no one has heard of, went to community college, went to a college over here and flunked out.
Video examples
First-Time Smuggler PIPE...
departure day the two flunking guys they come to the room with the suitcase they pulled the packages out of the suitcase they laid them on the bed and
Video examples
Bill Strickland:...
These were children who the whole world had given up on, who were flunking out of public school, and that's what they're capable of doing
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Dustin Hoffman
American Actor
So when I told my parents I wanted to go into acting because I was flunking out of my first year of junior college, they were relieved that I had picked something other than joining the army. But I can't imagine how they had high hopes for me.
Quote examples
Stanley Crouch
American Critic
You can meet a young person who goes to school and is really enthusiastic, but if a sufficiently strong personality convinces them that this is a waste of time, that person might flunk out.
Quote examples
Frank Sinatra
American Singer
I'm supposed to have a Ph.D. on the subject of women. But the truth is I've flunked more often than not. I'm very fond of women; I admire them. But, like all men, I don't understand them.
Quote examples
Richard Thaler
American Economist
Even if we grade on a very generous curve, many Americans flunk when it comes to financial literacy.
Quote examples
Kate Beckinsale
English Actress
I feel like I flunked at adolescence really badly. I found it really difficult.
Quote examples
Erma Bombeck
American Journalist
Sometimes I can't figure designers out. It's as if they flunked human anatomy.
Quote examples
Robert Kiyosaki
American Author
That's correct, I flunked out of high school twice because I couldn't write.
Quote examples
Stephen J. Cannell
American Producer
I flunked three grades before I got out of high school.
Quote examples
Steve Kornacki
I almost flunked pre-calculus back in high school.
Quote examples
Walker Percy
American Writer
You can get all A's and still flunk life.
Quote examples
Dustin Hoffman
American Actor
So when I told my parents I wanted to go into acting because I was flunking out of my first year of junior college, they were relieved that I had picked something other than joining the army. But I can't imagine how they had high hopes for me.
Quote examples
Stanley Crouch
American Critic
You can meet a young person who goes to school and is really enthusiastic, but if a sufficiently strong personality convinces them that this is a waste of time, that person might flunk out.
Quote examples
Frank Sinatra
American Singer
I'm supposed to have a Ph.D. on the subject of women. But the truth is I've flunked more often than not. I'm very fond of women; I admire them. But, like all men, I don't understand them.
Quote examples
Richard Thaler
American Economist
Even if we grade on a very generous curve, many Americans flunk when it comes to financial literacy.
Quote examples
Kate Beckinsale
English Actress
I feel like I flunked at adolescence really badly. I found it really difficult.
Quote examples
Erma Bombeck
American Journalist
Sometimes I can't figure designers out. It's as if they flunked human anatomy.
Quote examples
Robert Kiyosaki
American Author
That's correct, I flunked out of high school twice because I couldn't write.
Quote examples
Stephen J. Cannell
American Producer
I flunked three grades before I got out of high school.
Quote examples
Steve Kornacki
I almost flunked pre-calculus back in high school.
Quote examples
Walker Percy
American Writer
You can get all A's and still flunk life.
Example 1 of 10
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