# flunk

> English word · Verb · IPA /flʌŋk/ · frequency rank #77,683

## Definitions
1. Of a student, to fail a class; to not pass.
2. Of a teacher, to deny a student a passing grade.
3. To fail any challenge
4. To shirk (a task or duty).
5. To back out through fear. (Commonly in the phrase 'flunk it', the 'it' referring to a specific task avoided; sometimes without specific reference, describing a person's attitude to life in general.)

## Etymology
Alteration of funk, or perhaps a blend of flinch + funk.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/flunk