washed-up
adjective
done for; having failed completely.
washed-up
American
[wosht-uhp, wawsht-]
/ ˈwɒʃtˈʌp, ˈwɔʃt- /
adjective
Informal.
washed up
British
adjective
-
no longer useful, successful, hopeful, etc
our hopes for the new deal are all washed up
-
exhausted
washed up
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of washed-up
First recorded in 1920–25
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.
See Examples For:
They will be promoted on social media and television by washed-up athletes and unscrupulous influencers paid well for their perfidy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
And, most importantly, as a washed-up hipster living in central Brooklyn, I am surrounded by fans of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur—two teams I also know nothing about—and I simply refuse to conform to that coalition.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
It tells the story of a deaf musician who forms an unlikely partnership with a washed-up busker.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
He stars as Lonnie Hawkins, a washed-up golfer with spiky blond hair and a bad attitude.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
There were plenty of washed-up logs and sticks on the island, and under the bridge the wood was bone-dry.
From "The Honest Truth" by Dan Gemeinhart
Who among us Dodgers fans cares that he thinks the Dodgers are washed up?
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Residents and wild swimmers were horrified to find them washed up on Saturday, appearing to gasp for air, in the River Wensum through Norwich.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Hundreds of "incredible" blue sea creatures have washed up on beaches in Cumbria.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The carcasses of malnourished sea lions and whales washed up on beaches.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Clayton washed up while Cool Papa threw a pot and a frying pan on the stove.
From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
