flat broke

USAGE SUMMARY

"flat broke" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an idiom which means to have no money. Example sentence: I was so broke after buying my new car that I was flat broke.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

When Spelling told People magazine on Thursday that she and McDermott were in tough enough financial straits that they couldn't afford a vasectomy for him after four kids, headlines broke out all over proclaiming the couple flat broke.

Los Angeles Times

"I'm flat broke.

The New Yorker

Ms. Sweetland, however, is flat broke.

The New York Times

"I was flat broke," she said.

The Guardian

Thirteen years later, the Archway is flat broke.

The New York Times

By all accounts, including his own, he was flat broke.

The Washington Post

Even if the state weren't flat broke, this would be an expensive proposition.

The New York Times

"Whether she was flat broke or not is not the issue.

The Guardian

"Tourists hardly come here now and locals are gone or flat broke.

The Economist

And F. Lee Bailey, the famed criminal defense attorney, is flat broke.

The Washington Post

By 1950 he was out of the night club business and flat broke.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "flat broke" to emphasize a complete lack of funds, often implying a temporary or unexpected situation. For instance, after unexpected expenses.

Common error

Avoid using "flat broke" in formal contexts where a more neutral term like "facing financial difficulties" would be more appropriate. "Flat broke" carries a strong sense of being completely without money, which might not always be the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "flat broke" functions as an adjective phrase that describes a state of being completely without money. Ludwig confirms that it is correct and usable in written English as an idiom.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Arts

15%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Science & Research

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "flat broke" is a common and grammatically correct idiom used to describe a state of having absolutely no money. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used in news and media contexts. While useful for expressing a complete lack of funds, it is best reserved for informal or neutral settings. For more formal situations, consider alternatives like "facing financial difficulties" or "experiencing a lack of funds". Other related phrases include "completely broke", "totally penniless" and "without a penny".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely broke

Emphasizes the totality of being without money.

dead broke

Informal and conveys the sense of being completely broke.

without a penny

Emphasizes the absence of even a small amount of money.

stone broke

Informal and emphasizes being completely without money.

totally penniless

More formal and emphasizes the lack of any money.

absolutely without funds

Formal and emphasizes the complete absence of financial resources.

cleaned out

Suggests that all money has been spent or lost.

on one's last dime

Indicates being very close to having no money left.

in dire financial straits

More formal and indicates a difficult financial situation.

financially ruined

Implies a state of complete financial collapse.

FAQs

How do you use "flat broke" in a sentence?

You can use "flat broke" to describe a state of having no money. For example, "After paying rent, I was "flat broke".".

What can I say instead of "flat broke"?

You can use alternatives like "completely broke", "totally penniless", or "without a penny", depending on the context.

Is "flat broke" a formal expression?

No, "flat broke" is an informal expression. In formal contexts, it's better to use phrases like "facing financial difficulties" or "experiencing a lack of funds".

What's the difference between "broke" and "flat broke"?

"Flat broke" emphasizes a more extreme state of having no money at all, compared to simply being "broke", which can imply having very little money.