flop

American  

[flop] / flɒp /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• flopper noun

Etymology

Origin of flop

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

Explanation

To flop is to drop or hang heavily and loosely. If you're exhausted at the end of the day, you might flop into a chair as soon as you walk into your house. Your long hair might flop into your eyes, and if you catch a fish, you'll have to watch it flop around in your boat before it stops breathing. A tired child might begin to sob and flop onto the floor in frustration. You can also call a disaster a flop: "We worked so hard on that play, but it turned out to be a total flop." The earliest meaning of flop was "to flap."

Example Sentences

In any event, Giuliani’s 2008 campaign was a flop.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

"It wasn't a flop at all," Cathy said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

“I’d rather be a flop and believe in it.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

Pixarians, frustrated that their streaming releases didn’t resonate more, grew panicked after the flop of their first film back in theaters, 2022’s “Toy Story” spin-off “Lightyear.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

I retrieve Helen’s cardigan and then flop onto the retiring room sofa while the girls around me eat sandwiches and exchange glances over my prone body.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

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