as in disaster
something that has failed
the movie is such a flop that theaters showing it are the loneliest places in town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to collapse
to be unsuccessful
the attempt to run the ball into the end zone flopped, and our team lost by five points
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of flop
Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
The box office flop, which follows an 11-year-old underdog who forms unlikely bonds with extraterrestrials, was later shepherded by directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2026
Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
There was indeed something charming about these explosive Muppet looks, but is the woman who can afford Bottega Veneta really flopping around Art Basel, dinner parties and business meetings in such enormous clothes?
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flop
Noun
Cauley, who began playing some center field last year at Double-A Frisco, entered the game in right field for the first time ever on Sunday and had a routine fly ball flop off of his glove for an error.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
The box office flop, which follows an 11-year-old underdog who forms unlikely bonds with extraterrestrials, was later shepherded by directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
So, is California’s unemployment market slogging along or flopping into a quagmire of job cuts?
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
There was indeed something charming about these explosive Muppet looks, but is the woman who can afford Bottega Veneta really flopping around Art Basel, dinner parties and business meetings in such enormous clothes?
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flop
Noun
-
Rushing through your plans is a recipe for disaster, so avoid attempting to multitask.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The disaster led to an extensive decontamination effort to clean up nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated after hitting the ground.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For a picturesque date that feels like you’ve been plopped onto a movie set, consider the Gondola Getaway in Long Beach.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota or Iowa or Wisconsin could plop millions on the table for Jorgensen, right now, that the Rams simply can’t.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Degrading Iran’s war machine The larger munitions would have likely been used to penetrate underground facilities, destroy missile launch bunkers, and collapse tunnels or storage depots.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
-
This side-splitting comedy follows the same well-meaning troupe from The Play That Goes Wrong, whose latest attempt at staging Peter Pan quickly collapses into chaos.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Our boot laces were broken and knotted, our tattered and ice-caked pants flapped around our legs, and at night our wet clothing froze stiff.—
Elwyn "Bud" Myers,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Yes, literally like a bird flapping its wings.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The skills could include tasks such as folding boxes, assembling components, or even manipulating objects, activities that still remain challenging for many robotic systems.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Stir to combine, then fold in the black beans.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And there, for the fifth time, was Azzi Fudd as the colorful scraps of paper, shot from big cannons, fluttered down all around her.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
October marks the start of butterfly season, with vibrant swarms fluttering well into the green season.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In 2014, Bolsonaro, then just a congressman, spit on a bust of Paiva erected to honor his memory during the coup’s 50th anniversary in Congress.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For decades, memory stocks were stuck in a trader's game, a boom-bust-repeat pattern, but executives now say that AI has structurally broken the old cycle, and prices are showing no signs of coming down.—
Kristina Partsinevelos,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flop. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
