Drop the Ball.
English
idiom
Make a mistake or miss an opportunity.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Make a mistake or miss an opportunity.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To make a mistake by failing to do something that was expected of you — especially when others were counting on you.
Dropping the ball means letting something important slip through the cracks, often at a critical moment.
"Miss the Mark"
—
To fall short of a goal — dropping the ball is specifically about failing a responsibility, not just underperforming
"Let Someone Down"
—
To disappoint someone — dropping the ball implies a specific task that wasn't completed
"Drop the Ball"
—
Failing to do something you were responsible for, especially when others were depending on you
Why wasn't the proposal sent before the deadline?
I dropped the ball — I thought someone else had sent it. That's on me.
Did you remember to confirm the reservation?
I dropped the ball — I completely forgot. Let me call them now.
What happened with the product launch?
Marketing dropped the ball on the campaign timing. We launched into silence.
