1. The erosive process of washing away soil or gravel by water (as from a roadway)
   "from the house they watched the washout of their newly seeded lawn by the water";
   - wash
    
2. The channel or break produced by erosion of relatively soft soil by water
   "it was several days after the storm before they could repair the washout and open the road"
    
3. A complete failure
   "The highly anticipated movie turned out to be a washout at the box office";
   - flop [informal], bust [informal], fizzle, clinker [N. Amer, informal], epic fail [informal], dud, clunker [N. Amer, informal]

1. Prevent or interrupt due to rain
   "The storm had washed out the game";
   - rain out
    
2. Wash free from unwanted substances, such as dirt
   "Wash out your dirty shirt in the sink"
    
3. Wear or destroy by the force of water
   "The hail storms had washed out the bridges"
    
4. Remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent
   "he managed to wash out the stains";
   - wash, wash off, wash away
    
5. Deplete of strength or vitality
   "The long hike washed out the hikers"
    
6. Drain off the colour in the course of laundering
   "The harsh soap washed out the delicate blouse"
    
7. Lose colour in the process of being washed
   "The expensive shirt washed out in the German washing machine"

Derived forms: washes out, washed out, washouts, washing out

Type of: channel, destroy, discolor [US], discolour [Brit, Cdn], failure, groove, keep, launder, loser, no-hoper [informal], nonstarter, prevent, remove, ruin, soil erosion, take, take away, unsuccessful person, wash, weaken, withdraw

Encyclopedia: Washout