FALL ON ONE'S FACE Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

fall on one's face

phrase

as in collapse

to be unsuccessful Remembering how she fell on her face giving the speech the first time spurred her to practice it till she had it down.

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall on one's face

Phrase

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
Transit advocates, however, fell short on their push for extra dollars.

— Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of fall short

Phrase

Instead, the administration has proposed cutting more than 9,400 of my fellow workers and launched a new effort to privatize TSA — Horizon 25 — after the TSA Gold+ privatization campaign fell flat.

— Hydrick Thomas, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
The stabs at humor also fall flat, even if the gimmick of a priest injecting his enemies with a serum that obliges them to attend mass every Sunday is kind of fun the first time, but not really the second or third.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of fall 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.

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falloffs

fall on one's face

fall out

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“Fall on one's face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20on%20one%27s%20face. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fall on one's face

phrase

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