lay an egg
phrase
1
as in trip
to make a mistake
His book report was going perfectly until he laid an egg and got the main character's name wrong.
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2
as in collapse
to be unsuccessful
The gymnast nailed perfect landings on her first two vaults but really laid an egg on the third.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Cite this Entry
“Lay an egg.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20an%20egg. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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