Phrase guide

drop like flies

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To die en masse, one after the other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: simile; especially soldiers; simile; especially soldiers

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

rapidly collapse, die, or drop out in large numbers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the contestants dropped like flies when the thermometer hit one hundred degrees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: break down, collapse

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: putoilla kuin kärpäsiä — die en masse
  • French: tomber comme des mouches — die en masse
  • German: wie die Fliegen fallen — die en masse
  • Indonesian: jatuh seperti lalat — die en masse
  • Polish: padać jak muchy — die en masse
  • Portuguese: cair como moscas — die en masse
  • Romanian: cadeă ca muștele — die en masse
  • Russian: дохнуть как мухи (doxnutʹ kak muxi) — die en masse
  • Russian: мрут как мухи (mrut kak muxi) — die en masse
  • Russian: дохнут как мухи (doxnut kak muxi) — die en masse
  • Spanish: caer como moscas — die en masse
  • Turkish: sinek gibi düşmek — die en masse