wash out
Britishverb
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(tr) to wash (the inside of something) so as to remove (dirt)
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Also: wash off. to remove or be removed by washing
grass stains don't wash out easily
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(tr) to cancel or abandon (a sporting event)
noun
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geology
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erosion of the earth's surface by the action of running water
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a narrow channel produced by this erosion
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informal
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a total failure or disaster
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an incompetent person
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a sporting or social event that is cancelled due to rain
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aeronautics a decrease in the angle of attack of an aircraft wing towards the wing tip
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Remove or be removed by washing; also, cause to fade by laundering. For example, Give it to me; I'll wash out that stain , or The bleach has really washed out that bright print . [Mid-1700s]
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Wear away or be worn away by the flow of water, as in The river rose and washed out the dam , or The road has completely washed out . [Mid-1700s]
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Deplete or be depleted of energy, as in Working on her feet all day just washed her out , or I just washed out after that long tennis match . [Mid-1800s]
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Eliminate or be eliminated as unsatisfactory, as in He washed out of medical school after just one year , or After only two months as chairman I washed out . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s]
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Cancel owing to bad weather, as in The picnic was washed out . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s] Also see washed out .
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.
The $15 million lesson was expensive, and the suspension of Kimmel was a stain that won’t wash out easily.
From Salon • May 13, 2026
Historically, about 80% of potential pararescuemen wash out of the course, although it is often more, according to military news site Sofrep.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Although a handful break big—think Michael Jackson, Beyoncé or Harry Styles—most wash out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
MarketWatch: Can traders actually fix their psychological issues, or do most just wash out?
From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026
“Rain beats on a dog’s skin, but it does not wash out its spots,” Caroline responded.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
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.
