flat-footed

/ ˌflætˈfʊtɪd /

adjective

1. having flatfoot

2. informal

   1. clumsy or awkward

   2. downright and uncompromising

3. informal,  off guard or unawares (often in the phrase catch flat-footed )

Other Word Forms

• flat-footedly adverb
• flat-footedness noun

Idioms and Phrases

see caught flat-footed.

Example Sentences

Another staffer tells me: "There is no fire, no passion, no vision – we are timid and flat-footed."

From BBC

This left officials flat-footed when the numbers began to surge.

From Los Angeles Times

Reform UK sources admitted the party was caught a bit flat-footed here and elsewhere as many of its new councillors got the grips with their new jobs in the weeks following the local elections.

From BBC

Democratic strategists have lamented that the last-minute handover left their campaign flat-footed, ultimately aiding Trump's path to the White House, even as Democrats held a financial advantage in the 2024 race.

From BBC

Luka Doncic, who had been fully engaged on the defensive side of the ball, was flat-footed as Anthony Edwards rammed into the paint.

From Los Angeles Times