flunk

UK: /ˈflʌŋk/ US: /flʌŋk/ ,(flungk)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

flunk /flʌŋk/   v. 

1. to fail (in) a course or examination: [no object]
   You are in danger of flunking.
   [~ + object]
   He flunked math.
2. to give a failing grade to:
   [~ + object] The professor flunked nearly half the class.
3. flunk out, to (cause to) be dismissed from a school because of failing grades: [no object]
   in danger of flunking out.
   [~ + out of + object]
   to flunk out of college.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

flunk  (flungk), v.i. 

1. to fail in a course or examination.
2. flunk out, to fail and be unable to continue in:
   He flunked out of flight school.

v.t. 

3. to fail to get a passing mark in:
   to flunk math.
4. to give a failing grade to;
   remove (a student) as unqualified from a school or course.

n. 

5. a failure, as in a course or examination.

• perh. akin to flinch¹, funk¹ 1815–25, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

flunk / flʌŋk/ verb

1. to fail or cause to fail to reach the required standard in (an examination, course, etc)
2. (intransitive) followed by out: to be dismissed from a school or college through failure in examinations

Etymology: 19th Century: perhaps from flinch¹ + funk¹