dud

[duhd]

noun

1. Informal.,  a device, person, or enterprise that proves to be a failure.

   Synonyms: flop, bomb, fizzle, debacle, fiasco

2. a shell or missile that fails to explode after being fired.

dud

/ dʌd /

noun

1. a person or thing that proves ineffectual or a failure

2. a shell, etc, that fails to explode

3. old-fashioned,  (plural) clothes or other personal belongings

adjective

1. failing in its purpose or function

   a dud cheque

Word History and Origins

Origin of dud¹

1815–25; special use of dud, singular of duds

Word History and Origins

Origin of dud¹

C15 (in the sense: an article of clothing, a thing, used disparagingly): of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Earlier in the year, retailers feared the holiday season would be a dud.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"After the dud we threw out in Oklahoma City, you need to bounce back with a win," Reaves said.

Read more on Barron's

“Nothing happened with the first one. With the second, it struck under the bridge of the second enemy ship, but instead of an explosion the sound man picked up only a dull thud—another dud.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Its writer Daniel Welsh said: "The glossy sheen of the show and its stacked cast might make you think it's verging on 'so bad it's good' territory, but it's really just a boring dud."

Read more on BBC

Or, as Kilmartin puts it: “It’s a show where you can see a ton of great, experienced female and nonbinary comics, one after the other. Not a single lazy, sexist dud in the bunch.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• debacle 
• flop