Go down like a lead balloon

Meaning

The idiom "go down like a lead balloon" means to fail or collapse suddenly and spectacularly. It's often used to describe an event that was highly anticipated but ended up being a disappointment.

Usage

• The concert goers were excited to see their favorite band, but when they arrived at the venue, they found out that the show had been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. They went down like a lead balloon.
• After months of planning and preparation, the company's new product launch was a complete flop. The investors were devastated and went down like a lead balloon.
• The new restaurant in town had been highly praised by critics and foodies alike, but when they finally opened their doors, it became clear that the quality of the cuisine was nowhere near what they had promised. The customers left in droves, and the business went down like a lead balloon.
• The political candidate who had been polling at the top of the race suddenly lost steam after a series of missteps and gaffes. His supporters were disappointed and went down like a lead balloon.
• The hype around the latest technology product was overwhelming, but when it was finally released, it turned out to be disappointingly underwhelming. The stock price plummeted, and the company went down like a lead balloon.

Roots and History

The origin of the idiom "go down like a lead balloon" is unclear. However, one theory suggests that it dates back to World War II when British pilots would use lead balloons to test their radar systems. If the radar failed to detect the balloon, they would go down like a lead balloon. Over time, the idiom has evolved to mean something entirely different, but its metaphorical meaning remains the same - failure or collapse that is unexpected and disappointing.

Synonyms in English

• Fall flat on one's face
• Flop
• Bust
• Fail dismally
• Go awry

Synonyms in other languages

• 砄黧 (Japanese) - to feel down or deflate
• 跪摔（Fall） (Chinese) - to fall down
• בנין בכלשונה כולא מספר (Hebrew) - to fail in a project or goal
• צפרדים צפרדים למעודר (Hebrew) - to fall on one's face or make a complete mess of something

Similar Idioms

• grass is always greener on the other side

• go steady

• go after