go down like a lead balloon

verb

To be received negatively by others.

“I thought my idea of a superhero-themed party was a great idea, but it went down like a lead balloon with my friends.”

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Meanings

verbgo down like a lead balloon (third-person singular simple present goes down like a lead balloon, present participle going down like a lead balloon, simple past went down like a lead balloon, past participle gone down like a lead balloon)

present singular third person goes down like a lead balloon · participle present going down like a lead balloon · past went down like a lead balloon · participle past gone down like a lead balloon · alternative go over like a lead balloon

  1. simileTo be received negatively by others.

    I thought my idea of a superhero-themed party was a great idea, but it went down like a lead balloon with my friends.

Cite this entry
APA

go down like a lead balloon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20like%20a%20lead%20balloon

MLA

“go down like a lead balloon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20like%20a%20lead%20balloon. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “go down like a lead balloon,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/go%20down%20like%20a%20lead%20balloon.

Source: go down like a lead balloon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.