go over as well as a lead balloon

A form of go over like a lead balloon — To fail to gain acceptance: to be received poorly.

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Meanings

verbgo over as well as a lead balloon (third-person singular simple present goes over as well as a lead balloon, present participle going over as well as a lead balloon, simple past went over as well as a lead balloon, past participle gone over as well as a lead balloon)

present singular third person goes over as well as a lead balloon · participle present going over as well as a lead balloon · past went over as well as a lead balloon · participle past gone over as well as a lead balloon

  1. alternativeAlternative form of go over like a lead balloon.

    Think a joke may go over as well as a lead balloon? It's likely not a good idea, and refraining from telling it would be a wiser choice.

    2005, CDA Journal of the California Dental Association
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: go over as well as a lead balloon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.