Phrasal verb
flake out
Definitions
01to cancel plans
phr.v. to fail to do something you promised, or to cancel plans at the last minute because you are lazy or disorganized.
phr.v. to behave unreliably by failing to fulfill a commitment or cancelling social plans at the last moment.
“We were supposed to go to the cinema, but he flaked out again.”
“The lead guitarist flaked out on the band just two days before the tour, leaving them scrambling for a replacement.”
Informal
Usage
Intransitive; often takes 'on' when referring to the person who was let down.
Teaching tip
This is the most common modern use. It implies a lack of reliability rather than a genuine emergency.
Antonyms
02to fall asleep
phr.v. to fall asleep suddenly because you are extremely tired.
phr.v. to fall asleep or lose consciousness due to physical exhaustion or intoxication.
“As soon as I got home from the long hike, I flaked out on the sofa.”
“After working a double shift at the hospital, she flaked out in the staff room before she could even finish her coffee.”
Informal
Usage
Intransitive; usually followed by a preposition of place like 'on' or 'in'.
Teaching tip
While similar to 'pass out', this often emphasizes exhaustion rather than just fainting or drinking.
Antonyms
03to behave strangely
phr.v. to start acting in a very strange or crazy way.
phr.v. to behave eccentrically or suffer a minor mental breakdown; to lose one's composure.
“He started to flake out under the pressure of the final exams.”
“The witness began to flake out during the cross-examination, giving contradictory and increasingly bizarre answers.”
Informal · Slang
Usage
Intransitive.
Teaching tip
This sense is less common than the others and can sound slightly dated or very informal.
Teaching tip
the noun form 'flake' describes a person who habitually does this; it is a high-frequency term in modern social media and texting contexts.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
flake + out (+ on + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/flake-out