# flop

/ˈfɫɑp/ (US) · /flˈɒp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flop
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to fall heavily

verb · CEFR B1

to sit or lie down heavily because you are very tired or relaxed.

For teachers: to fall or sit down suddenly and heavily, typically due to exhaustion or a lack of physical tension.

- After working for ten hours, he just wanted to flop onto the sofa.
- Exhausted by the marathon, the runner flopped onto the grass the moment she crossed the finishing line.

Usage: Often used with prepositions like 'on', 'onto', or 'down'.

### 2. to fail

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to fail completely, especially a movie, book, or business idea.

For teachers: to be completely unsuccessful; used primarily for commercial or creative projects that fail to meet expectations.

- The expensive superhero movie flopped at the box office.
- Despite a massive marketing campaign, the startup's new social media app flopped within three months of its release.

### 3. to fake a foul

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to fall down on purpose in a game to make the referee think you were fouled.

For teachers: to deliberately fall or stumble to deceive an official into calling a foul on an opponent.

- The basketball player flopped to get a free throw, but the ref saw it.
- The league began fining players who flopped, hoping to discourage the practice of exaggerating contact to manipulate the officials.

Teaching tip: Common in American English for basketball; British English speakers usually use 'dive' for the same action in football (soccer).

### 4. a failure

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person or thing that is a total failure.

For teachers: a complete failure, particularly a theatrical production, film, or commercial product.

- The party was a total flop because nobody showed up.
- Critics predicted the play would be a hit, but it turned out to be a commercial flop and closed after one week.

### 6. flatly or directly

adverb · CEFR C2 · Informal

completely or directly, often describing how someone falls.

For teachers: in a flat, heavy, or direct manner; often used to describe the sound or motion of a fall.

- He fell flop on his face in the middle of the playground.
- The fish landed flop on the deck of the boat, startling the young fisherman.

## Examples

- The new movie was a total flop at the box office.
- Despite a massive marketing budget, the company's latest smartphone turned out to be a commercial flop.
- Critics initially praised the ambitious novel, but it became a financial flop when readers found the experimental structure too difficult to follow.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.