fell on one's face
Failed in public
To fall on one's face is to fail publicly and often spectacularly, usually after attempting something ambitious or making confident predictions.
The phrase evokes the image of someone literally stumbling forward and landing face-first—an embarrassing physical mishap that serves as a metaphor for professional or personal failure.
The new product launch fell on its face when customers discovered the defects.
He really fell on his face with that presentation.
- fall flatFail to impress
- bite the dustFail or perish utterly
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
- humiliationLoss of dignity
- fiascoHumiliating public failure
crash and burn · blunder · stumble · wipe out · disgrace · downfall · fall from grace · hit rock bottom · go down swinging · mortification · faceplant · take a tumble · comeback · drop the ball · perseverance · learn the hard way · misstep · eat dirt
fell on one's facetriumphed
Achieved decisive victory
nailed it · stuck the landing · landed on one's feet · hit it out of the park · aced it
fell, falls, falling, fallen, ones, face, faces, faced, facing