flop

[flop]

verb (used without object)

flopped, flopping 

1. to fall or plump down suddenly, especially with noise; drop or turn with a sudden bump or thud (sometimes followed bydown ).

   The puppy flopped down on the couch.

2. to change suddenly, as from one side or party to another (often followed byover ).

3. to be a complete failure; fail.

   The play flopped dismally.

4. Informal.,  to sleep or be lodged.

   to flop at a friend's house.

5. to swing loosely; bounce; flap.

   His long hair flops in his eyes when he runs.

verb (used with object)

flopped, flopping 

1. to drop with a sudden bump or thud.

   He flopped his books on a chair.

2. to dispose (oneself ) in a heavily negligent manner.

   to flop oneself in a chair.

3. to invert (the negative of a photograph) so that the right and left sides are transposed.

noun

1. an act of flopping.

2. the sound of flopping; a thud.

3. a failure.

   The new comedy was a flop.

   Synonyms: dog, bomb, debacle, disaster, fiasco

4. Informal.,  a place to sleep; temporary lodging.

   The mission offered a flop and a free breakfast.

5. Basketball.,  an exaggerated or dramatic fall intended to persuade officials to penalize the opposing team for a foul.

   His comically oversold flop didn’t fool the referees at all.

flop

/ flɒp /

verb

1. (intr) to bend, fall, or collapse loosely or carelessly

   his head flopped backwards

2. to fall, cause to fall, or move with a sudden noise

   the books flopped onto the floor

3. informal,  (intr) to fail; be unsuccessful

   the scheme flopped

4. (intr) to fall flat onto the surface of water, hitting it with the front of the body

5. slang,  to go to sleep

noun

1. the act of flopping

2. informal,  a complete failure

3. slang,  a place to sleep

4. athletics See Fosbury flop

5. poker the first three community cards dealt face-up in a round of any of several varieties of poker, including Texas hold 'em

Other Word Forms

• flopper noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flop¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; variant of flap; flop def. 11 was first recorded in 1890–95.

Word History and Origins

Origin of flop¹

C17: variant of _flap

Example Sentences

The minimalist, low-profile, utterly Danish design is an immediate, uncontested flop.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It flopped, as test screenings warned it would, cautioning Keaton that her directorial debut only appealed to female weirdos — people like her.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

These being your traditionally flopping Trojans, you might not recognize them, but look anyway, because this is real, not to mention real fun and real loud.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Once the dog is fed, I often flop down on the sofa with my computer to do a little more work, chatting with my son while he’s gaming on his computer.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Even if the gyre of contemporary fandom demands mess, spite, flops and redemption arcs, Lipa glides over all of it, with morally sound politics and an immaculately tasteful book club to spare.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dangle 
• flounder 
• flutter 
• jerk 
• sag 
• stagger 
• tumble 
• wiggle 

When To Use

What does flop mean?

To flop is to plump down or fall suddenly, often making a noise, as in After the long hike, Sasha flopped on the grass to rest.To flop can also mean to drop something with a sudden bump, as in Dola flopped her books to the floor to make room on the desk.To flop also means to fail completely, as in The new play flopped because the actors didn’t know their lines and no one came after opening night.Flop can be used as a noun to refer to any of these actions, as well.Example: I flopped on the couch after a long day of work.