come a cropper

phrase

Definition of come a croppernext
1
as in collapse
to be unsuccessful To her disappointment, her plan came a cropper.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fall short
to go wrong He tried to scale the fence but came a cropper.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for come a cropper
  1. fall short
  2. fall flat
  3. lay an egg
Phrase
  • Nike also gave a forecast for profit this fiscal year that fell short of analysts’ expectations.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Supporters made a similar push in the lame duck session at the end of 2024 but ultimately fell short.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall short
Phrase
  • The deal is Novo’s second since its investor day last week, when its pledges to boost growth with new drugs fell flat.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026
  • But the fantasy-death quiz falls flat and feels more like a second defeat than a comedy tag.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of fall flat
Phrase
  • Same with the Jets, who simply could not go down to Nashville and lay an egg the size of a bowling ball against their former coach, Robert Saleh.
    — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of lay an egg
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

come about
come a cropper
come across
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Come a cropper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/come%20a%20cropper. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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