Etymology
Origin of tanked
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the end, injuries not only ended that dream but tanked his case for a third consecutive MVP as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Once part of the U.S. government, Centrus stopped enriching uranium in 2013 and went bankrupt in 2014 after demand tanked following the Fukushima nuclear accident.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
The goofy, R-rated “Starship Troopers” famously tanked domestically among adults, but was a notable hit among teen boys, who sneaked into the flick in droves.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
The Lincoln’s extended deployment, already about three months longer than the typical carrier mission, appears to have tanked sailors’ morale.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
And then, of course, the economy tanked and the country defaulted on its debt.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
