a complete flop

USAGE SUMMARY

"a complete flop" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that has been unsuccessful, typically when it comes to an event, product, or endeavor. For example: "The movie premiere was a complete flop, barely making back its budget at the box office."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Entertainment

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

"Yeah, and it's a complete flop?" Matty Healy replies eagerly.

Independent

It was a complete flop, but I still love it.

The New York Times

But commercially the Bella Coola show was a complete flop".

The New Yorker

Colin Powell's recent trip there was a complete flop".

The New York Times

Cameo, released in 1973, was a complete flop.

The Guardian - Music

That relationship has not been a complete flop.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

It launched in 2013 and was, like most of its predecessors, an immediate and complete flop in the United States, though it still seems to be commercially available in Japan.

The New Yorker

The goal-that-wasn't got its share of attention, although oddly more cries for technology to remedy the horrid refereeing were coming from elsewhere (more on that in a bit), but as Ashley Gray wrote in The Daily Mail, fixating on it fails to recognize the complete flop that the team was.

The New York Times

Since 2005, our nation has experienced that complete flop of the Social Security privatization effort, the Terri Schiavo incident, Katrina, one Congressional and Bush administration scandal after another, steady economic decline culminating in the banking/insurance collapse we are still experiencing.

Huffington Post

Then, in a display of utter weakness, he buckled under pressure and did a complete flip-flop on the issue.

Huffington Post

Either way, "he's going to do a complete flip-flop on the idea that he isn't bought and paid for," Tyler said.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a complete flop" when you want to emphasize the thoroughness of the failure, suggesting no aspect of the endeavor was successful.

Common error

While "a complete flop" is widely understood, it might be too informal for certain professional or academic settings. Consider using more formal alternatives like "an utter failure" or "a resounding failure" in those contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a complete flop" functions as a predicate nominative or subject complement, describing a noun or subject. It indicates that something is an utter failure. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Sport

12%

Entertainment

8%

Less common in

Science

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a complete flop" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that has utterly failed. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While frequently found in News & Media, it's essential to consider the formality of the context, opting for alternatives like "an utter failure" in professional settings. The phrase effectively conveys disappointment and a total lack of success, making it a strong choice for expressing negative evaluations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an utter failure

Replaces "complete flop" with a more formal and emphatic expression of failure.

a total disaster

Indicates a failure with significant negative consequences or widespread problems.

a resounding failure

Emphasizes the scale and decisiveness of the failure.

a dismal failure

Highlights the depressing or discouraging nature of the failure.

a spectacular failure

Implies the failure was particularly noticeable or dramatic.

a dead loss

Suggests something that has no value or potential.

a non-starter

Indicates something that never had a chance of succeeding.

a washout

Informal term suggesting something that failed to produce the desired result.

went down like a lead balloon

Idiomatic expression for something that was very poorly received.

failed miserably

Verbal phrase indicating a high degree of failure.

FAQs

How can I use "a complete flop" in a sentence?

You can use "a complete flop" to describe anything that has failed entirely. For example, "The new product launch was "a complete flop" and had to be pulled from the shelves."

What can I say instead of "a complete flop"?

You can use alternatives like "an utter failure", "a total disaster", or "a resounding failure" depending on the context.

Is "a complete flop" too informal for professional writing?

While generally acceptable, "a complete flop" can be perceived as informal. In professional writing, consider more formal alternatives such as "an unmitigated disaster" or "a significant setback".

What's the difference between "a complete flop" and "a partial failure"?

"A complete flop" suggests total failure, with no aspect of success. "A partial failure" implies that some elements were successful, but overall, the endeavor did not meet expectations.