1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

comes a cropper

phrase

present tense third-person singular of come a cropper
1
as in fails
to be unsuccessful To her disappointment, her plan came a cropper.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in falls 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 comes a cropper
  1. falls short
  2. falls flat
Phrase
  • However, sources told Reuters that the settlement includes the creation of independent editorial boards for CNN and CBS and also stipulates a $30 million penalty per film if Paramount falls short of its pledge to release 30 movies annually.
    — Lillian Rizzo,Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
  • When that falls short, Liliom’s life quickly devolves, leaving audiences to wonder if bad deeds are a question of character or circumstance.
    — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of falls short
Phrase
  • But the fantasy-death quiz falls flat and feels more like a second defeat than a comedy tag.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Then there’s the dubious CGI, which falls flat compared with the practical stunt work and effects that gave the first three films so much of their tactile charm.
    — Frank DeRuggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of falls flat
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

comes about
comes a cropper
comes across
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Comes a cropper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comes%20a%20cropper. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compendious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All