fall flat on your face

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fall flat on your face" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a situation where someone fails completely or embarrassingly, often after a confident attempt. Example: "Despite his high hopes for the presentation, he fell flat on his face when he forgot his main points."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

No one is secretly hoping that you fall flat on your face and move back in with your parents to work at Starbucks because you couldn't do the thing you wanted to do.

Huffington Post

"Then, quite naturally, you fall flat on your face".

The New York Times

And if you don't have good balance, you fall flat on your face".

The New York Times

"If you fall flat on your face there, you break every bone in your body.

The Guardian - Arts

Celebrate too much in football and the next minute you fall flat on your face.

The Guardian - Sport

It can be creatively liberating, because you can fall flat on your face without anyone knowing.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

What could be more American, he asked, than falling flat on your face and then reinventing yourself for the better?

The New York Times

From skiing, to ice skating, nailing a halfpipe to falling flat on your face, anything goes as long as it's icy.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Little, Brown; £10.99The challenges of entering the Chinese market and not falling flat on your face, by a long-time contributor based in Beijing.______________________________________________Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's SoulBy Michael Reid.

The Economist

If you had taken a gamble and five years ago put the money into a typical global emerging markets fund – betting on the continued rise of China, India and so on – you would have fallen flat on your face as your £40,000 would now be worth just £32,800.

The Guardian - Money

"If you go into it thinking this could win us an award then that's the quickest way of falling flat on your face.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fall flat on your face" to describe situations where someone's efforts lead to an embarrassing or obvious failure. It's particularly effective when there was initial confidence or expectation of success.

Common error

Avoid using "fall flat on your face" in formal or professional writing, as it's an idiomatic expression more suited for informal contexts. Opt for phrases like "fail to achieve the desired outcome" in formal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fall flat on your face" functions as an idiomatic verb phrase. Ludwig AI analysis shows that it's used to describe a sudden and often embarrassing failure. It paints a vivid picture of someone failing in a very obvious way.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Wiki

32%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Academia

6%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "fall flat on your face" is a common idiom used to vividly describe an embarrassing or spectacular failure. While grammatically correct and widely understood, it is best suited for informal contexts. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its acceptability and provides numerous examples from reliable sources. For more formal situations, alternatives like "fail to achieve the desired outcome" are more appropriate. Remember that the humor of the phrase makes it more at home in conversation than in formal writing. Therefore it's better to "fail miserably" in informal situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fail miserably

Emphasizes the extent of the failure more directly.

bomb completely

Suggests a total and utter failure, often in a performance context.

go down in flames

Implies a spectacular and catastrophic failure.

bite the dust

An informal way of saying someone has failed or died.

come to nothing

Highlights the lack of positive outcome or success.

be unsuccessful

A formal and straightforward way to express a lack of success.

meet with disaster

Indicates that a plan or undertaking ended in a disastrous outcome.

flop

A shorter, more direct way to say something was a failure.

not succeed

A simple and neutral way of stating a failure to achieve a goal.

draw a blank

Describes a failure to remember something or come up with an answer.

FAQs

How can I use "fall flat on your face" in a sentence?

You can use "fall flat on your face" to describe a situation where someone fails in a spectacular or embarrassing way. For example, "He hoped to impress the audience with his joke, but he "fell flat on his face" when no one laughed".

What does it mean to "fall flat on your face"?

To "fall flat on your face" is an idiom that means to fail spectacularly or embarrassingly, often after a period of confidence or high expectations.

Are there any alternatives to using the phrase "fall flat on your face"?

Yes, depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "fail miserably", "bomb completely", or "be unsuccessful".

Is it appropriate to use "fall flat on your face" in formal writing?

No, "fall flat on your face" is an informal idiom and is not appropriate for formal writing. Use more professional alternatives such as "fail to achieve the objective" or "prove unsuccessful".