wuss out
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To fail to do something because of cowardice.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
He said he was going to climb that tree, but he wussed out at the last moment.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “wuss out” mean?
To fail to do something because of cowardice.
Is “wuss out” formal or informal?
wuss out is generally slang.