# strikeout

/ˈstɹaɪˌkaʊt/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/strikeout
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

a situation where a computer program or a network connection stops working because it cannot find a server or a website. It is like a failure to connect to the internet.

For teachers: a failure to establish a connection with a remote server or network resource, typically resulting in a timeout or error message. Common in computing contexts to describe network unreachability.

## Examples

- I got a strikeout when trying to access the website.
- The developer received a strikeout error because the DNS server was down and could not resolve the domain name.
- After the recent server migration, several automated scripts began returning a strikeout, indicating that the new IP addresses had not yet propagated through the global network.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.