flops: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Neutral
Quick answer
What does “flops” mean?
As a noun: failures, particularly commercial or critical failures. As a verb: the act of failing badly or falling limply.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
As a noun: failures, particularly commercial or critical failures. As a verb: the act of failing badly or falling limply.
A countable plural noun referring to things that fail to meet expectations, especially in business, entertainment, or performance. Also the third-person singular present of the verb 'flop', meaning to fall, move, or hang in a heavy, loose, or ungainly way, or to fail completely.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The informal noun meaning is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of commercial failure or poor performance in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media/criticism due to the scale of its entertainment industries, but common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “flops” in a Sentence
[subject] has/have had several flops.[determiner] flops at the box office.The film flopped ([adverb]).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flops” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He flops onto the sofa after work.
- The new musical flopped in the West End.
American English
- The dog flops down in the shade.
- The product flopped despite a huge marketing budget.
adverb
British English
- Not standard.
American English
- Not standard.
adjective
British English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adjective.
American English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for products, launches, or investments that lose money. 'The company wrote off its recent product flops.'
Academic
Rare, except in media/cultural studies analyzing commercial failures.
Everyday
Common for discussing films, restaurants, or plans that failed. 'We tried two new cafés, but both were flops.'
Technical
As FLOPS (floating-point operations per second), a measure of computer performance.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flops”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flops”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flops”
- Using 'flop' as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'a lot of flop'). It is countable: 'a flop', 'many flops'.
- Confusing the noun plural 'flops' (/flɒps/) with the computing term 'FLOPS' (/flɒps/ or /flops/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In its main meaning of 'failures', yes, it is negative. The verb can be neutral when describing a relaxed, limp movement (e.g., 'flop onto the bed').
Not commonly. The related adjective is 'floppy' (e.g., floppy ears). 'Flop' is primarily a noun or verb.
A 'flop' is a specific type of dramatic, often public failure, especially in business or entertainment. A 'failure' is a more general term.
No, it is a homograph (same spelling). FLOPS is an acronym for 'Floating-point Operations Per Second' and is unrelated etymologically to the failure meaning.
As a noun: failures, particularly commercial or critical failures. As a verb: the act of failing badly or falling limply.
Flops is usually informal, neutral in register.
Flops: in British English it is pronounced /flɒps/, and in American English it is pronounced /flɑːps/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “flop sweat (nervousness about failing)”
- “flop house (a cheap hotel)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a fish out of water – it FLOPs on the ground, a failure at being in the air. Several failed fish = several FLOPS.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS A PHYSICAL FALL/COLLAPSE (The project flopped).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'flops' pronounced differently and has a completely different meaning?