fall flat

1. Fail, prove to be ineffective, as in His jokes nearly always fell flat—no one ever laughed at them. [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

However, an attempt to sell the Telegraph to a group of investors led by Dovid Efune, the owner and publisher of the New York Sun, fell flat.

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So far, attempts to cut spending rather than increase taxes have fallen flat in much of Europe.

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India's efforts to combat air pollution by using cloud seeding in its sprawling capital New Delhi appear to have fallen flat, with scientists and activists questioning the effectiveness of the move.

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He has already survived one awkward moment in the campaign, when a joke about Crown Princess Amalia fell flat in front of 2,000 students in Rotterdam,

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The tool has shown promise in preventing excessive flattery, which can fall flat with Gen Z women, Roth said.

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Related Words

• bump 
• collapse 
• collide 
• ditch 
• dive 
• drop 
• hurtle 
• meet 
• overturn 
• plunge 
• slip 
• smash 
• topple 
• tumble