flameout

British

/ ˈfleɪmˌaʊt /

noun

the failure of an aircraft jet engine in flight due to extinction of the flame
a complete failure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

(of a jet engine) to fail in flight or to cause (a jet engine) to fail in flight

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Wilson’s retreat after the flameout of his notoriously ambitious “Smile” project made space for the other Beach Boys to shape the band’s music, as on 1970’s fondly remembered “Sunflower.”

From Los Angeles Times

Once written off as a flameout, the former No. 3 pick of the woeful New York Jets made history Sunday, becoming the first USC quarterback to reach the Super Bowl as an NFL starter.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, the crusade against Captain Kelly seems doomed to a proper flameout.

From Slate

Thanks to a Wind-Sense™ flameout sensor, the gas will automatically shut off if the flame blows out.

From Salon

Foster’s quick flameout after a little more than one season has led to a new opening inside the athletic department while leading a growing contingent of donors and fans to demand one more.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023