fall flat
[verb]
Synonyms: fail, bust out, fall short, flop, flummox, flunk, spin, wash out

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

fall flat
If a joke, idea or suggestion falls flat, it does not have the intended effect:
He made several jokes and each of them fell flat.

[TahlilGaran] Advanced Learner's Dictionary ▲

fall flat
fall flat (on (your) face)
to fail completely.
Most of her jokes fell flat and her act was a disaster.

It used to be an amazing magazine, but it's fallen flat on its face.

fall flat on (your)/its face
to fail or make a mistake in an embarrassing way.
The new scheme fell flat on its face in spite of all the financial support that was given.

It's always amusing to see a newscaster fall flat on his face.

fall flat on (your)/its face
to fail or make a mistake in an embarrassing way.
The new scheme fell flat on its face in spite of all the financial support that was given.

It's always amusing to see a newscaster fall flat on his face.

1.
if an entertainment or a joke falls flat, people do not enjoy it and do not think it is funny.
Several attempts at humour during his speech fell flat.

2.
if an attempt to influence people's behaviour or opinions falls flat, it fails.
The advertising campaign which had worked so well in the US fell flat in China.

The statement that pregnancy is not an illness falls flat with many morning sickness sufferers.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

fall flat
to be completely unsuccessful, to fail
My attempt at humor fell flat and now the girl does not like me.

I fell flat on my face when I tried to make a speech at the wedding.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

fall flat
v., informal To be a failure; fail.
The party fell flat because of the rain.
His joke fell flat because no one understood it.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲