lay an egg

phrase

Definition of lay an eggnext
1
as in trip
to make a mistake His book report was going perfectly until he laid an egg and got the main character's name wrong.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in collapse
to be unsuccessful The gymnast nailed perfect landings on her first two vaults but really laid an egg on the third.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay an egg
  1. drop the ball
  2. fall short
  3. fall flat
Phrase
  • France then took off for home, but because Tovar quickly ran over to grab the ball and because France is not fast, there would have been a close play at the plate had Tovar not dropped the ball after picking it up.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026
  • Last year, the fair attracted almost 330,000 visitors — no sign that Sedalia is dropping the ball.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of drop the ball
Phrase
  • Meta fell short of that test earlier in the week, while Microsoft passed it, underscoring why Amazon’s results landed so well.
    — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Fort Lauderdale’s forecast is 94, which would fall short of the 96 mark set in 1986.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of fall 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
  • Rebrands fall flat, bets don't land, and initiatives become a dud.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 28 July 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.

Browse Nearby Words

layabouts
lay an egg
lay away
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lay an egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20an%20egg. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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