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fluke out

C1 informal intransitive
In simple words

Get lucky and succeed at something when you really should not have.

Literal meaning: A 'fluke' is an accidental stroke of luck — 'out' suggests emerging from a difficult situation.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic informal

To succeed at something or escape a negative outcome purely through chance rather than skill or effort.

"I hadn't studied at all, but I completely fluked out on that multiple-choice test."

2 C1 idiomatic informal

To fail or be eliminated from something — used in some regional dialects where 'out' signals failure rather than success.

"He fluked out of the tournament in the second round after a random error cost him the match."

Usage notes

Primarily used in informal American English. Implies that the success was not deserved or earned. Often used with a tone of surprised relief. Less common than 'luck out' and considered somewhat colloquial.

Commonly used with

test exam competition game interview situation

Forms

Base
fluke out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flukes out
he/she/it
Past simple
fluked out
yesterday
Past participle
fluked out
have + pp
-ing form
fluking out
continuous

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