What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
flop
Example
The new restaurant was a flop and had to close down after only a few months. [flop: noun]
Example
The movie flopped at the box office and lost millions of dollars. [flopped: past tense]
failure
Example
Despite his best efforts, he was a failure in his career and never achieved his dreams. [failure: noun]
Example
The experiment was a failure and did not yield any useful results. [failure: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Failure is a more common word than flop and can be used in various contexts. Flop is more commonly used in the entertainment industry to describe unsuccessful movies, plays, or performances.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between flop and failure?
Failure is a more formal and academic term than flop, which has a more informal and colloquial origin. Therefore, failure is more appropriate for formal or professional contexts, while flop can be used in more casual or humorous situations.
