Phrase guide

fall flat

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To produce no humour, inspiration, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The prop comedy in Las Vegas fell flat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

fail utterly; collapse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The project foundered

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fall through, founder, flop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fail, go wrong, miscarry

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: lässähtää — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • French: tomber à plat — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Hungarian: dugába dől — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Hungarian: kudarcba fullad — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Hungarian: meghiúsul — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Hungarian: csődöt mond — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Hungarian: kudarcot vall — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect
  • Polish: nie wypalić — to produce no effect; to fail in the intended effect