flushed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to informal (when describing emotion/face); Technical (when describing plumbing/toilets).
Quick answer
What does “flushed” mean?
Having a red or warm face, especially as a result of strong emotion, heat, illness, or exertion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Having a red or warm face, especially as a result of strong emotion, heat, illness, or exertion.
To be in a state of excited emotion or success; also, to have been cleaned or emptied by a rapid flow of water.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. 'To be flushed with success' is equally common. Plumbing usage is identical.
Connotations
Similar connotations. In both varieties, 'flushed' (adjective) is more standard than 'red-faced'.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English in the phrase 'flushed with success' based on corpus data, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “flushed” in a Sentence
be/get flushed (adj)be flushed with + emotion/successhave flushed + object (v)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flushed” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He hasn't flushed the loo.
- The cooling system needs to be flushed with clean water.
American English
- She flushed the toilet loudly.
- The mechanic flushed the car's radiator.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard adverbial form. 'Flush' can be an adverb (e.g., 'set flush with the wall'), but this is unrelated to 'flushed'.
American English
- Not a standard adverbial form. See UK note.
adjective
British English
- His face was flushed after the rugby match.
- She felt flushed and feverish.
American English
- He got flushed from running in the heat.
- Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in metaphorical use: 'The team was flushed with success after the product launch.'
Academic
Rare in formal writing. May appear in literary analysis or medical/physiological texts.
Everyday
Common for describing physical reaction to heat, exercise, embarrassment, or anger.
Technical
Used in plumbing/medicine (e.g., 'The system was flushed with saline.')
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flushed”
- Using 'flushed' to mean just 'excited' without the physical redness.
- Confusing 'flushed' (red from within) with 'sunburnt' (red from outside).
- Incorrect: 'She was flushed by the cold wind.' (Wind causes pallor or chapping, not flushing).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It can be negative (fever, anger), neutral (exercise, heat), or positive (excitement, pride). The context determines the connotation.
'Blushing' is typically caused by shyness, embarrassment, or modesty and is often milder and more localised. 'Flushed' implies a stronger, more widespread redness from stronger emotions, physical exertion, or illness.
Yes, but only in the verb form related to cleaning with liquid (e.g., 'flush the pipes') or in the unrelated adjective 'flush' meaning level (e.g., 'the door is flush with the wall'). The adjective describing redness is for living beings.
It is pronounced /t/ (as in 'stopped'), not /d/ or /ɪd/. This is because the base verb 'flush' ends in the voiceless sound /ʃ/.
Having a red or warm face, especially as a result of strong emotion, heat, illness, or exertion.
Flushed is usually neutral to informal (when describing emotion/face); technical (when describing plumbing/toilets). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “flushed with success”
- “flushed with pride”
- “flushed with victory”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FLUSH in a toilet – a sudden rush of water. Your face gets 'flushed' from a sudden rush of blood.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/PHYSICAL EFFORT IS HEAT/PRESSURE (The internal pressure/heat manifests as a visible colour change).
Practice
Quiz
Which context is LEAST appropriate for using 'flushed' (adjective)?