fall flat

phrase

: to produce no response or result

the joke fell flat

Examples of fall flat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Get it now for $179, which is 33% off its actual price, and never let your playlist fall flat. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026

The deal is Novo’s second since its investor day last week, when its pledges to boost growth with new drugs fell flat. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026

But the fantasy-death quiz falls flat and feels more like a second defeat than a comedy tag. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Even the most beautiful design falls flat without function; true luxury lies in the way things move, open, and align. — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fall flat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat