flop 1 of 2

noun

Definition of flopnext
as in disaster
something that has failed the movie is such a flop that theaters showing it are the loneliest places in town

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flop

2 of 2

verb

ˈfläp How to pronounce flop (audio)
1
as in to plop
to throw or set down clumsily or casually they lazily flopped themselves onto the couch to watch the game flopped the bag of groceries onto the counter

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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
3
as in to flap
to move or cause to move with a striking motion a fish flopping around on the dock

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Noun
Starter addition flops Last season’s trade deadline wound up being a big flop. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026 Although Gears 5 was not a flop – quite the opposite – there was a growing sentiment among the fanbase that Gears of War needed to reevaluate its future by revisiting its past. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
Starter addition flops Last season’s trade deadline wound up being a big flop. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026 Perez chugged around the bases before belly-flopping into third base with his trademark smile. — Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for flop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flop
  1. disaster
  2. plop
  3. collapse
  4. flap
  5. failure
  6. fold
  7. flutter
  8. bust
Noun
  • The club was rebuilding after the 1958 Munich air disaster but won a first post-Munich trophy, the FA Cup, earlier that year.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In nearby Anderson in Madison County, Indiana, the mayor declared a local disaster emergency and issued evacuation orders Thursday along the swelling White River and other waterways.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disaster
Verb
  • But the sausage slipped from its grip and plopped back into formation, alongside the others revolving lazily between rollers.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • In the comics, Battleworld stitched together all the different worlds and plopped every hero and their variant into one new universe.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of plop
Verb
  • Thousands of people on Flores camped outside collapsed homes under tarpaulin tents overnight into Monday, sleeping outside because of the danger of more aftershocks.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Parked cars were crushed when buildings collapsed during the quake.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • The cast are clustered around a table of props and despite her disappointment at the lack of hag wigs, Dale Dickey is flapping a fishing net like a seafaring matador.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Northern cardinals may flirt over lunch, with a male passing a choice bite to a female, while fledglings flap, gape and beg their parents for a snack.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of flap
Noun
  • There was widespread concern in San Antonio last fall that a failure to approve a new arena could open the door for the Spurs to relocate to Austin.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Reports vary on the exact level of success or failure of Meghan's brand As Ever, but the jam, flower sprinkles and scented candles have become a bit of a joke.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of failure
Verb
  • That combination is then folded into the warming character of suede and myrrh.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
  • After ejection, the aircraft unfolds its folding wings and transitions to aerodynamic flight.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of fold
Verb
  • These days, Jackson and her drag king character live in Ramsgate, a port town on England’s southeast coast where – much like Pat’s flag – strings of Union Jacks flutter along the harbor.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • For Arbaeen, the lights inside the shrine and the flags fluttering from its golden dome are switched to red – the color of vengeance.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of flutter
Noun
  • O’Higgins spent about two years in Richmond, and his connection to the house is marked by an English Heritage Blue Plaque; a bust of him stands nearby in O’Higgins Square, where the borough celebrates his birthday each year.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Two Penn State University fraternities are at the center of a cocaine trafficking ring bust, leading to charges against 14 people, authorities announced on Monday.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bust

Browse Nearby Words

floozy
flop
flop (down)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flop. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flop

Nglish: Translation of flop for Spanish Speakers

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