drop like flies

verb

To die en masse, one after the other.

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Meanings

verbdrop like flies (third-person singular simple present drops like flies, present participle dropping like flies, simple past and past participle dropped like flies)

present singular third person drops like flies · participle present dropping like flies · participle past dropped like flies · past dropped like flies · alternative drop off like flies · alternative die like flies

  1. simile; especially soldiers; simile; especially soldiersTo die en masse, one after the other.

    Hit 'em with a left, a left, and a right / Got 'em dropping like flies with the stars in their eyes

    2017, “Good Night Alt-Right”, in Only Death is Real (Rap Metal, Nu Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore Punk), performed by Stray From The Path, United States
    1 more example

    Seymour: Audrey, quick! We've got to do an emergency [flower] arrangement. […] Mr. Mushnik: The Shivas are our most important funereal account. A big, enormous family, they're dropping off like flies!

    1986, Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
die like flies

Translations

Finnish putoilla kuin kärpäsiä
  • putoilla kuin kärpäsiädie en masse
French tomber comme des mouches
  • tomber comme des mouchesdie en masse
German wie die Fliegen fallen
  • wie die Fliegen fallendie en masse
Indonesian jatuh seperti lalat
  • jatuh seperti lalatdie en masse
Polish padać jak muchy
  • padać jak muchydie en masse
Portuguese cair como moscas
  • cair como moscasdie en masse
Romanian cadeă ca muștele
  • cadeă ca mușteledie en masse
Russian дохнуть как мухи, мрут как мухи
  • дохнуть как мухи (doxnutʹ kak muxi)die en masse
  • мрут как мухи (mrut kak muxi)die en masse
  • дохнут как мухи (doxnut kak muxi)die en masse
Spanish caer como moscas
  • caer como moscasdie en masse
Turkish sinek gibi düşmek
  • sinek gibi düşmekdie en masse
Cite this entry
APA

drop like flies. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20like%20flies

MLA

“drop like flies.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20like%20flies. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “drop like flies,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drop%20like%20flies.

Source: drop like flies on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.