- To make a mistake, fail to fulfill a responsibility, or neglect something important, often letting down others.
Explanation
Origin
- Comes directly from sports like American football, baseball, basketball, or cricket, where literally dropping the ball is a significant error that can cost the team dearly (e.g., losing possession, failing to make a catch).
- Metaphorically applied to situations where someone fails in their duties or makes a costly error.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Screwed the pooch (More vulgar slang for making a big mistake)
- Botched it / Muffed it
- Fucked up (Vulgar)
- Shit the bed (Vulgar, implies spectacular failure)
Milder/Standard:
- Made an error.
- Overlooked something.
- Failed in one's duty.
- Made an oversight.
More Formal:
- Committed an error.
- There was a lapse in execution.
- Failed to meet the required standard.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal. Common in workplace discussions about performance or errors.
- Can sound accusatory if used about someone else who isn't present.
- Acceptable when admitting one's own mistake. Avoid in highly formal reports unless quoting someone.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Literal interpretation is unlikely given context.
- Ensure the severity matches the expression; calling a tiny error dropping the ball might seem overly dramatic.
Examples
- I asked him to send the report, but he dropped the ball and forgot.
- The company dropped the ball on customer service, and clients left.
- Don't drop the ball on this project; it's crucial for our department.
- Sorry, I totally dropped the ball on replying to your email.
Dialogue
Manager: Did the final presentation slides get sent to the client yesterday?
Employee: Oh, shoot. No, I got caught up in that urgent server issue... I completely dropped the ball.
Manager: Okay, that's not great. The client is expecting them. Please send them immediately with an apology for the delay.
Employee: Right away. I'm really sorry about that.
Social Media Examples
- Customer Complaint Tweet: @BigCompany Your support team totally dropped the ball. Been waiting 3 days for a response! #CustomerService #Fail
- Personal Tweet: Ugh, realized I double-booked myself for Saturday night. Dropped the ball big time. Sorry friends! 😬 #Oops
- Forum Comment: The developers dropped the ball by not testing on older devices.
Response Patterns
- Expressing disappointment/Frustration: Oh no!, Seriously?, That's not good., Again?
- Asking for details: What happened?, How did they drop the ball?
- Accepting an apology: Okay, it happens. Just try not to let it happen again., Thanks for letting me know.
- Offering solutions/Mitigation: Okay, how can we fix this?, What's the plan now?
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone says another person dropped the ball:
- Discussing the consequences of the mistake.
- Figuring out how to rectify the situation.
- Discussing accountability.
After someone admits they dropped the ball:
- Explaining what happened.
- Apologizing.
- Suggesting how they will fix it or prevent recurrence.
Conversation Starter
- No.
- Used to describe or confess a mistake or failure.
Intonation
- Emphasis usually on dropped and ball. DROPPED the BALL.
- Often said with disappointment, frustration, or self-reproach (if admitting one's own mistake).
Generation Differences
- Widely understood across generations due to its strong roots in popular sports.
Regional Variations
- Very common in American English, widely understood and used elsewhere (UK, Australia etc.).