FELL ON ONE'S FACE Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

fell on one's face

phrase

past tense of fall on one's face

as in collapsed

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 fell on one's face

Phrase

But in documents released Monday in advance of a hearing this week where FDA advisers will weigh in on the drug, the agency said the study fell short.

— Ed Silverman, STAT, 28 July 2026
That fell short of the 53 cents per share forecast by Wall Street analysts, according to FactSet.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of fell short

Phrase

Sauro, who posted a video of the debate exchange on Facebook late last week, said Leary’s Monday apology letter fell flat.

— Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 28 July 2026
Even the president’s jokes about his bad jokes fell flat, and he was widely ridiculed for the comedy routine afterward.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Definition of fell 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

fell off

fell on one's face

fell out

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“Fell on one's face.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fell%20on%20one%27s%20face. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of fell on one's face

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