flunk out

Idioms  

1. Expel or be expelled from a school because one's work does not meet the required standard. For example, He flunked out of Harvard after just one year . [ Slang ; early 1800s]

2. Fail at anything, as in The camera ran out of film so we flunked out as photographers . [ Slang ; late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Her night terrors are causing her to flunk out of college, and her roommate demands that she go home and get some answers so that she can get some sleep.

From Los Angeles Times

In her first year at college, as she studied to be a nuclear engineer, her depression led her to flunk out and return home, too crippled to get out of bed.

From Washington Post

If I got a football scholarship but had no place to live, no priority registration and no financial support, I’d flunk out of school.

From Los Angeles Times

She keeps getting upset and telling me I’d better not have kids until I’ve got my own career sorted out, and she takes it very personally when I’m not academically motivated because she hopes she didn’t sacrifice her career so I could flunk out on mine.

From Slate

He said standards are high enough that about 5-to-10% of those inducted into Horizon’s training program flunk out and never become line pilots.

From Seattle Times