What does "washout" mean?
An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something.
Washout
/ˈwɒʃaʊt/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something.
- Grammar: washout is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ablution, airmanship, alluvion, alluvium.
- Useful contrasts: algae retention, bright, color retention.
- Usage evidence: You're a washout in the kitchen.
How to use "washout"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "washout" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "washout" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "washout" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "washout" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "washout" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ablution" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "washout", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something. countable, uncountable
"No. 21C9 was in need of a boiler washout and though she was carefully and assiduously fired and use made of the fire-irons during the run, it was not possible to maintain steam, which often fell as low as 210 lb."
- 2 someone who is unsuccessful wordnet
- 3 An appliance designed to wash out the inside of something. countable, uncountable
"The cistern was fitted with washouts and air-valves."
- 4 the erosive process of washing away soil or gravel by water (as from a roadway) wordnet
- 5 The erosion of a relatively soft surface by a sudden gush of water; also, a channel produced by this action. countable, uncountable
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 the channel or break produced by erosion of relatively soft soil by water wordnet
- 7 The erosion of a relatively soft surface by a sudden gush of water; also, a channel produced by this action.; A breach in a railway or road caused by flooding. countable, uncountable
"In a message to NR [National Rail] staff on August 14, Haines said: "It's not just Scotland impacted by extreme wet weather. This week we have seen, and will continue to see, heavy rain fall. This has caused washouts and landslips across the length and breadth of Great Britain.""
- 8 A sporting fixture or other event that cannot be completed because of rain. countable, slang, uncountable
"The Austin picnic was a washout, rained all day."
- 9 An overwhelming victory; a landslide. countable, slang, uncountable
"Illawarra turns blue in Liberal washout [title]"
- 10 A total failure; a disappointment. countable, slang, uncountable
""I thought you was goin' into the business yourself." / "That's a wash-out," snarled Silas. "Don't you talk of it. It's finished.""
- 11 An unsuccessful person. countable, slang, uncountable
"As an actor he was a complete washout, so he went back to accounting."
- 12 The aerodynamic effect of a small twist in the shape of an aircraft wing. countable, uncountable
- 13 A destroyed aeroplane. British, countable, uncountable
- 14 A trainee who drops out of a training programme. British, countable, uncountable
- 15 A period between clinical treatments in which any medication delivered as the first treatment is allowed to be eliminated from a person's body before the second treatment begins. countable, uncountable
- 16 The cleaning of matter from a physiological system using a fluid; also, the fluid used for such cleaning; or the matter cleaned out from the system. also, countable, uncountable
"a bladder washout"
- 17 The action whereby falling rainwater cleans particles from the air. countable, uncountable
- 18 A place in a mine where ore has been washed away by a flow of water. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You're a washout in the kitchen."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "washout"?
Common synonyms include: ablution, airmanship, alluvion, alluvium, also ran, also-ran.
How do you use "washout" in a sentence?
You're a washout in the kitchen.
How do you pronounce "washout"?
Pronounced /ˈwɒʃaʊt/.
Etymology
Deverbal from wash out.