fall flat
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And, much like improv, bread pudding can absolutely fall flat.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
As Barbara argues, “I also think he has demonstrated a level of ruthlessness and a willingness to file charges, even if he’s got to know they’re going to fall flat eventually.”
From Slate • May 7, 2026
But even when Nebraska did reach the tournament, they found new and creative ways to fall flat on their faces.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
In our post-#MeToo landscape, rife with “you can’t say that” sensibilities, some “Spaceballs”-style gags might fall flat.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025
They were always waiting for him to fail, to fall flat on his face, but he’d scored once more.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
