Flopping — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈfläp/ (verb) /ˈflip-ˌfläp/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Flopping

Flopping (verb)

  1. to swing or move loosely, flap
  2. to throw or move oneself in a heavy, clumsy, or relaxed manner
  3. to change or turn suddenly

Flopping (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
  3. the sound or motion of something flapping loosely
  4. a backward handspring
  5. a sudden reversal (as of policy or strategy)

Flopping (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in failing, collapsing

    similar: collapsing, failing, flunking, folding, washing-out, futureless, hopeless, inauspicious, no-good, unpromising, declining, slipping, slumping, waning, failed, unsuccessful, bankrupt, kaput, kerflooey, destroyed, ruined, wrecked
    opposite: flourishing, going, palmy, prosperous, successful, thriving, triumphant, coming, promising, booming, growing, roaring, robust

Flopping (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to throw or set down clumsily or casually

    "they lazily flopped themselves onto the couch to watch the game"

    "flopped the bag of groceries onto the counter"

    similar: flumping, planking, plopping, plumping, plunking
    related: flinging, heaving, slinging, tossing, ensconcing, installing, planting, settling

  2. to be unsuccessful

    "the attempt to run the ball into the end zone flopped, and our team lost by five points"

    similar: bombing, collapsing, cratering, failing, flaming out, flunking, folding, foundering, missing, striking out, tanking, washing out, coming a cropper, coming to grief, coming up empty, dying on the vine, falling flat, falling on one's face, falling short, laying an egg
    related: floundering, struggling, declining, sinking, skidding, slipping, slumping, waning, crashing, crumbling, miscarrying, misfiring, going under, imploding, self-destructing
    opposite: clicking, coming off, delivering, going, going over, panning out, succeeding, working out
    near: cooking, flourishing, prospering, thriving, prevailing, triumphing, winning

  3. to move or cause to move with a striking motion

    "a fish flopping around on the dock"

    similar: beating, flailing, flapping, fluttering, whipping
    related: banging, battering, buffeting, knocking, pounding, smacking, spanking, thumping, flickering, flicking, flitting, fanning, oscillating, swaying, swinging, undulating, waving, palpitating, pulsing, throbbing

Related Entry: Flop (verb)

Flop is a different word from Flopping. The synonyms below are for flop, not for flopping.

  1. to throw or set down clumsily or casually

    "they lazily flopped themselves onto the couch to watch the game"

    "flopped the bag of groceries onto the counter"

    similar: flump, plank, plop, plump, plunk
    related: fling, heave, sling, toss, ensconce, install, plant, settle

  2. to be unsuccessful

    "the attempt to run the ball into the end zone flopped, and our team lost by five points"

    similar: bomb, collapse, crater, fail, flame out, flunk, fold, founder, miss, strike out, tank, wash out, come a cropper, come to grief, come up empty, die on the vine, fall flat, fall on one's face, fall short, lay an egg
    related: flounder, struggle, decline, sink, skid, slip, slump, wane, crash, crumble, miscarry, misfire, go under, implode, self-destruct
    opposite: click, come off, deliver, go, go over, pan out, succeed, work out
    near: cook, flourish, prosper, thrive, prevail, triumph, win

  3. to move or cause to move with a striking motion

    "a fish flopping around on the dock"

    similar: beat, flail, flap, flutter, whip
    related: bang, batter, buffet, knock, pound, smack, spank, thump, flick, flicker, flit, fan, oscillate, sway, swing, undulate, wave, palpitate, pulse, throb

Related Entry: Flopping (down) (verb)

Flopping (down) is a different word from Flopping. The synonyms below are for flopping (down), not for flopping.

  1. as in lying (down), dossing (down)

    similar: couching, dossing (down) (chiefly British), lying (down), reclining, bunking, perching, roosting, settling, catnapping, dozing, dropping off, lying up, napping, nodding, resting, sleeping, slumbering, snoozing, bedding (down), retiring, turning in
    opposite: arising, getting up, rising, rolling out, turning out, uprising, arousing, awakening, awaking, bestirring, stirring, waking

Related Entry: Belly flopping (verb)

Belly flopping is a different word from Flopping. The synonyms below are for belly flopping, not for flopping.

  1. as in plunking, plumping

    similar: plumping, plunking, dipping, immersing, submerging, diving, pitching, plunging, sounding
    opposite: surfacing

Related Entry: Flip-flopping (verb)

Flip-flopping is a different word from Flopping. The synonyms below are for flip-flopping, not for flopping.

  1. as in yo-yoing

    similar: yo-yoing, equivocating, fudging, hedging, pussyfooting, tergiversating, waffling, weaseling, dodging, ducking, eluding, eschewing, evading, shaking, shirking, shunning, sidestepping, skirting, bypassing, circumventing, caviling, quibbling, straddling

Related Entry: Flip-flop (noun)

Flip-flop is a different word from Flopping. The synonyms below are for flip-flop, not for flopping.

  1. a changing from one policy or point of view to virtually its exact opposite

    "the governor's frequent flip-flops would indicate that she has no core beliefs"

    similar: about-face, about-turn (British), reversal, turnabout, turnaround, U-turn, volte-face, change of heart
    related: bait and switch, switcheroo, denial, disaffirmance, disavowal, disownment, recantation, renunciation, repudiation, retraction, reconsideration, retreat, second thought, hesitation, indecision, irresolution, shilly-shallying, vacillation, wavering, wobbling

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Flopping

The most common words with a similar meaning to Flopping:

collapsing, failing, flunking, folding, washing-out, futureless, hopeless, inauspicious, no-good, unpromising, declining, slipping, slumping, waning, failed, unsuccessful, bankrupt, kaput, kerflooey, destroyed, ruined, wrecked, flumping, planking, plopping, plumping, plunking, bombing, cratering, flaming out, foundering, missing, striking out, tanking, washing out, beating, flailing, flapping, fluttering, whipping

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Flopping

Words with the opposite meaning of Flopping:

flourishing, going, palmy, prosperous, successful, thriving, triumphant, coming, promising, booming, growing, roaring, robust, clicking, coming off, delivering, going over, panning out, succeeding, working out

Related Words for Flopping

flinging, heaving, slinging, tossing, ensconcing, installing, planting, settling, floundering, struggling, sinking, skidding, crashing, crumbling, miscarrying, misfiring, going under, imploding, self-destructing, banging, battering, buffeting, knocking, pounding, smacking, spanking, thumping, flickering, flicking, flitting

Near Antonyms of Flopping

cooking, prospering, prevailing, triumphing, winning

Word Forms of Flopping

Inflections: flopped

Derived words: flopper (noun), belly flop (intransitive verb), flip-flop (intransitive verb)

Origin & Etymology of Flopping

alteration of flap:2

First known use: 1602i

Frequently Asked Questions about Flopping

What does "Flopping" mean?

"Flopping" means to swing or move loosely, flap. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to swing or move loosely, flap. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Flopping"?

Other words for "Flopping" include collapsing, failing, flunking, folding, washing-out, futureless, hopeless and inauspicious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Flopping" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Flopping"?

There are 87 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Flopping". Common alternatives include collapsing, failing, flunking, folding, washing-out, futureless, hopeless, inauspicious, no-good and unpromising.

What is the opposite of "Flopping"?

Antonyms of "Flopping" include flourishing, going, palmy, prosperous, successful, thriving, triumphant and coming. Near antonyms include cooking, prospering, prevailing and triumphing.

How do you use "Flopping" in a sentence?

Examples of "Flopping" in a sentence: "they lazily flopped themselves onto the couch to watch the game"; "flopped the bag of groceries onto the counter"; "the attempt to run the ball into the end zone flopped, and our team lost by five points".

Is "Flopping" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Flopping" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Flopping"?

"Flopping" is pronounced /ˈfläp/ as a verb and /ˈflip-ˌfläp/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Flopping"?

"Flopping" comes from alteration of flap:2. First known use: 1602i.