fall flat
To fail completely
Littéralement: To drop down and become level with the ground.
Use it when an effort to be funny or clever results in an awkward, silent failure.
En 15 secondes
- Used when an attempt to impress fails to get a reaction.
- Commonly applied to jokes, speeches, marketing campaigns, and creative ideas.
- Describes the awkward silence after a failed social effort.
Signification
Imagine you tell a joke or share a big idea, but nobody laughs or cares. It basically means failing to get the reaction you wanted.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Telling a bad joke
I tried to tell a joke about chemistry, but it fell flat.
I tried to tell a joke about chemistry, but it failed completely.
A marketing presentation
The new ad campaign fell flat with our younger audience.
The new ad campaign failed to impress our younger audience.
Texting about a date
My compliment totally fell flat; she just looked confused.
My compliment didn't work at all; she just looked confused.
Contexte culturel
The expression gained popularity in the 19th century to describe unsuccessful literature. It evokes the image of a pancake or a collapsed souffle, emphasizing a lack of 'rise' or energy. In British and American culture, it is the go-to phrase for describing 'cringe' moments in comedy.
Add 'On Its Face'
If you want to emphasize how embarrassing the failure was, say it `fell flat on its face`. It sounds more dramatic!
Not for Physicality
Don't use this if you actually trip over a rug. Use 'fall down' or 'trip' instead.
En 15 secondes
- Used when an attempt to impress fails to get a reaction.
- Commonly applied to jokes, speeches, marketing campaigns, and creative ideas.
- Describes the awkward silence after a failed social effort.
What It Means
Fall flat describes a total failure of an effort to impress or entertain. It is like throwing a ball that doesn't bounce. It just hits the floor with a dull thud. You use it when your intentions don't match the reality.
How To Use It
Usually, you use it with a subject like a joke, a speech, or a plan. You say, "The joke fell flat." It is a very visual way to describe disappointment. You can also add completely or entirely for extra drama.
When To Use It
Use this when a performance or a suggestion gets zero response. Think about a meeting where you suggest a new office cat. If everyone just stares at you in silence, your idea fell flat. It is perfect for social or professional blunders.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for physical accidents. If you actually trip on the sidewalk, you didn't fall flat in this sense. You just fell down. Also, avoid it for serious tragedies. It is too light for a business going bankrupt or a major disaster.
Cultural Background
This phrase likely comes from the world of theater and music. If a singer hits a flat note, it sounds wrong and unpleasant. In the 1800s, it became a common way to describe boring prose or bad jokes. It captures the awkward silence that follows a bad performance.
Common Variations
You might hear people say fall flat on its face. This is just a more intense version. It makes the failure sound even more embarrassing and sudden. It is like the difference between a small trip and a full face-plant.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is very safe to use in most settings. Just remember that it describes the *thing* (the joke, the plan) failing, not the person.
Add 'On Its Face'
If you want to emphasize how embarrassing the failure was, say it `fell flat on its face`. It sounds more dramatic!
Not for Physicality
Don't use this if you actually trip over a rug. Use 'fall down' or 'trip' instead.
The Silent Treatment
In English-speaking cultures, the 'silence' after something falls flat is often called 'crickets'. You might hear someone say, 'I heard crickets,' after a joke falls flat.
Exemples
6I tried to tell a joke about chemistry, but it fell flat.
I tried to tell a joke about chemistry, but it failed completely.
The most common use case for the phrase.
The new ad campaign fell flat with our younger audience.
The new ad campaign failed to impress our younger audience.
Used here to describe a professional marketing failure.
My compliment totally fell flat; she just looked confused.
My compliment didn't work at all; she just looked confused.
Describes a social 'miss' in a casual setting.
The candidate's attempt at humor fell flat during the debate.
The candidate's attempt at humor failed during the debate.
Shows the phrase used in a formal public context.
I poured my heart into the poem, but it fell flat with the critics.
I poured my heart into the poem, but the critics didn't like it.
Conveys a sense of personal disappointment.
My suggestion to go hiking fell flat because everyone was too tired.
My suggestion to go hiking was ignored because everyone was too tired.
Used for a simple group decision failure.
Teste-toi
Choose the best word to complete the idiom.
The director's new movie ___ flat at the box office.
The standard idiom is always `to fall flat`.
Identify the correct context for the phrase.
Which of these situations best fits 'fell flat'?
`Fall flat` refers to a failure of communication or impact, not physical falling.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Fall Flat'
Talking to friends about a bad party.
My prank fell flat.
Standard daily conversation or news.
The joke fell flat.
Business reports or reviews.
The proposal fell flat.
When to use 'Fall Flat'
Comedy Club
A joke with no laughs.
Boardroom
A pitch that gets rejected.
Kitchen
A new recipe no one likes.
Dating
A pick-up line that fails.
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsNot usually. You wouldn't say 'I fell flat' unless you mean you physically fell. Instead, say 'My idea fell flat' or 'My performance fell flat'.
It is a type of failure, but specifically one where you expected a positive reaction and got nothing. It's about the lack of impact.
It can be a bit blunt. If you are being nice, you might say 'it didn't quite land' instead.
The past tense is fell flat. For example: 'The presentation fell flat yesterday.'
Only if you are talking about a specific launch or advertisement. If the whole company goes broke, we usually say it 'went under'.
No, it can be any attempt to influence people, like a serious political speech or a romantic gesture.
It's a more intense version of the same idiom, often implying a very public or humiliating failure.
Yes, it is very common in both British and American English.
It is a bit idiomatic for a very formal academic paper, but it is perfectly fine for journalism or business reports.
You could say something 'was a hit' or 'went over well'.
Yes, in comedy, if a comedian 'bombs,' their set fell flat.
Yes, if a new song is released and nobody likes it, you can say the single fell flat.
Expressions liées
Go down like a lead balloon
Miss the mark
Bomb (in a performance context)
Lead to nothing
Fall on deaf ears
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