Synonyms of fall flat

fall flat

phrase

1

as in collapse

to be unsuccessful

Her performance fell flat despite weeks of rehearsing.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapse
• fail
• flop
• strike out
• fold
• struggle
• fall short
• miss
• come up empty
• bomb
• come to grief
• lay an egg
• come a cropper
• tank
• wash out
• founder
• flame out
• fall on one's face
• crater
• flunk
• die on the vine
• decline
• crash
• slip
• slump
• go under
• skid
• flounder
• crumble
• wane
• sink
• misfire
• miscarry
• implode
• self-destruct

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• go
• succeed
• go over
• work out
• deliver
• click
• come off
• pan out
• cook
• thrive
• flourish
• triumph
• win
• prevail
• prosper

2

as in fall short

to go wrong

Their game plan fell flat when their star player suffered an injury.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fall short
• come to grief
• fail
• stall
• come a cropper
• die
• misfire
• miscarry
• miss
• struggle
• flop
• founder
• crash
• fold
• tank
• break down
• wash out
• bomb
• slump
• skid
• flounder
• slip
• flame out
• conk (out)
• fizzle
• decline
• wane
• bust
• flunk

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• succeed
• prevail
• thrive
• flourish
• prosper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fall flat

Just last year, Nate Bargatze entered Emmys night as a peak-of-fame comedian, and ended the evening as the object of mass audience disgruntlement after a running joke about winners’ lengthy speeches taking money away from children in need fell flat. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

But when the game still mattered, when the starters were out there, the Panthers fell flat. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026

Shopping itself can be a nightmare, and even with alterations, clothing pieces can fall flat (and, well, frumpy) on a shorter frame. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 14 Aug. 2026

So while there’s no such thing as a tacky color per se, even the prettiest hue can fall flat in the wrong circumstance. — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 2 Aug. 2026