as in defeat
a falling short of one's goals
more than a few people were glad to see the obnoxiously smug skater come a cropper at the national championships
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Recent Examples of cropper
The family-friend label came a cropper after it was slapped with a multi-million-dollar copyright lawsuit by Disney, Warner Bros. and other major Hollywood studios for making unauthorized cuts – of scenes deemed unsuitable for family viewing by the brothers – to their movies and series.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 June 2025
In January, 1813, at York Castle, fourteen croppers stood trial for rioting and machine breaking, which Parliament had deemed a capital offense in the new Frame-Breaking Act.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Zelensky came a cropper when trying the same thing — but his stock soared back home at a time when Trump seems to be trying to oust him.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
DeSantis' landslide will likely turn out to be the historically most important result from last Tuesday, akin to but with even greater consequences than George W. Bush's victory in Texas in 1998, another midterm year in which the GOP otherwise came a cropper.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2022
But on closer inspection, there are differences: This cropper is shirtless, his backside a bit too pert, and the stalks of asparagus growing from the ground are, in fact, penises.
—Max Norman David Chow Victoria Petro-Conroy, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022
Intent is where the Manhattan District Attorney’s financial case seemed to come a cropper.
—Norman Eisen, CNN, 30 Mar. 2022
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 June 2025
In January, 1813, at York Castle, fourteen croppers stood trial for rioting and machine breaking, which Parliament had deemed a capital offense in the new Frame-Breaking Act.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Zelensky came a cropper when trying the same thing — but his stock soared back home at a time when Trump seems to be trying to oust him.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
DeSantis' landslide will likely turn out to be the historically most important result from last Tuesday, akin to but with even greater consequences than George W. Bush's victory in Texas in 1998, another midterm year in which the GOP otherwise came a cropper.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 28 Nov. 2022
But on closer inspection, there are differences: This cropper is shirtless, his backside a bit too pert, and the stalks of asparagus growing from the ground are, in fact, penises.
—Max Norman David Chow Victoria Petro-Conroy, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022
Intent is where the Manhattan District Attorney’s financial case seemed to come a cropper.
—Norman Eisen, CNN, 30 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cropper
Noun
-
Sunday’s defeat capped a roller-coaster first half in which the Yankees jumped out to a 42-25 record, only to follow with a 6-16 skid that included two separate six-game losing streaks.—
Peter Sblendorio,
Hartford Courant,
13 July 2025
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Skipping the Kansas origin story, the film instead picks up with Superman (David Corenswet) after his first defeat.—
Jake Coyle,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
Noun
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But all of that absolves Luzardo from a basic failure.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Critics of the strikes jumped at the opportunity to call the operation a failure, but the DIA’s product should ...—
NR Editors,
National Review,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Metallica famously initiated the landmark lawsuit against peer-to-peer file sharing company Napster in 2000, which led to further suits that ultimately caused the company's initial collapse.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
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The idea of cutting any deal with Maduro is political dynamite in Florida, where more than 350,000 Venezuelan Americans have made their homes and where emotions over Venezuela’s collapse on the hands of the Maduro regime run deep.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Earlier reports about the cause of the crash were made in error by the fire department, Humphrey said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
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Further details about the vehicles involved and the circumstances of the crash were not released Friday.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cropper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cropper. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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