belly flop

noun

1
: a dive (as into water or in coasting prone on a sled) in which the front of the body strikes flat against another surface

called also belly flopper

2
: a complete and often painful or embarrassing failure : flop
… instead of doing a belly flop at the box office, Vampire soared …Jeff Gordinier
belly flop intransitive verb

Examples of belly flop in a Sentence

She did a belly flop into the pool.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without hesitating, Gus belly flopped into the water below with a splash, took a drink and began swimming. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024 The team’s five-year player-development belly flop ultimately is on him, too. Eric Koreen, The Athletic, 9 July 2024 The four-location pool crawl included games and activities, such as a watermelon race and a belly flop competition. Magda Liszewska, Orange County Register, 17 Oct. 2024 And then there are the long-term, indirect costs of an implementation belly flop. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for belly flop 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of belly flop was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near belly flop

Cite this Entry

“Belly flop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belly%20flop. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

belly flop

noun
: a dive (as into the water) in which the front of the body lands flat
belly flop verb

More from Merriam-Webster on belly flop

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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