dropped the ball

A form of drop the ball — To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of drop the ball
Cite this entry
APA

dropped the ball. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dropped%20the%20ball

MLA

“dropped the ball.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dropped%20the%20ball. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dropped the ball,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dropped%20the%20ball.

Source: dropped the ball on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.