drop like flies
idiom
informal
: to become ill or die over a short period of time and in large numbers
Horses and cattle dropped like flies during the drought.
The heat was so intense that people were dropping like flies.
—often used figurativelyCandidates were dropping like flies during the early part of the campaign.
Examples of drop like flies in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Soon destroyed or disabled, other vessels in the 30-odd transport drop like flies.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Jan. 2024
At the beginning, opponents drop like flies.
—Shannon Liao, CNN, 1 Oct. 2020
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Jan. 2024
At the beginning, opponents drop like flies.
—Shannon Liao, CNN, 1 Oct. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drop like flies.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Drop like flies.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop%20like%20flies. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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