flat-footed

1 of 2

adjective

flat-foot·​ed ˈflat-ˌfu̇-təd 

ˌflat-ˈfu̇-

1

: affected with flat foot

broadly : walking with a dragging or shambling gait

2

a

: firm and well balanced on the feet

b

: free from reservation : forthright

had an honest flat-footed way of saying a thing

3

: not ready : unprepared

—used chiefly in the phrase catch flat-footed

The company was caught flat-footed by the pace of changes in the industry.

4

: proceeding in a plodding or unimaginative way : pedestrian

flat-footed prose

flat-footedly adverb

flat-footedness noun

flat-footed

2 of 2

adverb

1

: in an open and determined manner : flatly

2

: with the feet flat on a surface (such as the ground)

Examples of flat-footed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In August 2021, President Joe Biden’s political allies were caught flat-footed. —Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026

And those of us who stay flat-footed on Earth are well accustomed to lift-off cancellations and postponed blastoffs. —Arkansas Online, 28 Feb. 2026

Adverb

All of these announcements coincide with lawmakers and regulators, who initially appeared caught flat-footed by the sudden rise of prediction markets, recently vowing to take action against insider trading. —Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026

Purdy walked to the sideline with a look of exasperation, perhaps because his target, tight end Luke Farrell, appeared to be caught flat-footed and wasn’t expecting the pass. —Eric Branch, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for flat-footed

• barefooted
• inputted
• footed

Medical Definition

flat-footed

adjective

flat-foot·​ed -ˈfu̇t-əd 

: affected with flatfoot

broadly : walking with a dragging or shambling gait

flat-footedly adverb

flat-footedness noun