fall flat

phrase

: to produce no response or result

the joke fell flat

Examples of fall flat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rolling sections upward and positioning rollers close to the roots can create lift where hair tends to fall flat, a technique that matters as much as the tool itself. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026

Hormonal shifts in your 40s, 50s and 60s can change how hair behaves, and a cut that worked for years may suddenly fall flat by lunchtime. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

The satire falls flat, but there’s some chuckles to be found in the Simpsons living beyond their economic means. — Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026

Sasha is there to encourage her to dig deeper when her early attempts at writing fall flat. — Judy Berman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fall flat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat