going over like a lead balloon
Utterly falling flat
Going over like a lead balloon describes something that fails spectacularly, especially a joke, suggestion, or performance that receives no positive response.
The image is of a balloon made from lead—it couldn't possibly fly.
My proposal for casual Fridays went over like a lead balloon with management.
Sometimes intensified to lead Zeppelin, which inspired the rock band's name.
- flopComplete commercial failure
- falling flatFailing to resonate
- crashing and burningFailing dramatically and publicly
- crash landingUncontrolled emergency descent conclusion
- embarrassmentSelf-conscious unease
egg on face · misfire · disaster · disappointment · cold reception · silence · criticism · dismissal · dead in the water · hard pass · indifference · backlash · rejection · stone-faced · fiasco · dud · crickets · tough crowd
overly, likeness, likened, likening, unlikely, likely, likelihood, leading, leaden