Synonyms of lay an egg

lay an egg

phrase

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

• trip
• fumble
• stumble
• slip up
• drop the ball
• screw up
• blunder
• goof (up)
• foul up
• err
• louse up
• mess (up)
• fluff
• nod
• boob
• mistake
• flub
• misunderstand
• murder
• muff
• butcher
• botch
• mangle
• bungle
• misdeem
• misconceive
• misjudge
• bobble
• miscalculate
• miscue
• misgauge
• miscount
• mishandle
• misinterpret
• foozle
• misconstrue

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

• collapse
• fail
• flop
• fold
• strike out
• struggle
• fall short
• miss
• bomb
• fall flat
• wash out
• come to grief
• tank
• flame out
• come a cropper
• come up empty
• founder
• fall on one's face
• die on the vine
• crater
• flunk
• decline
• crash
• slip
• slump
• go under
• skid
• flounder
• crumble
• sink
• wane
• misfire
• miscarry
• implode
• self-destruct

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• go
• succeed
• deliver
• go over
• work out
• click
• pan out
• cook
• come off
• thrive
• flourish
• win
• triumph
• prevail
• prosper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lay an egg

Same with the Jets, who simply could not go down to Nashville and lay an egg the size of a bowling ball against their former coach, Robert Saleh. — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026