Caught Flat-footed Definition & Meaning

Idioms

Examples

caught flat-footed Idioms

1. Caught unprepared, taken by surprise, as in The reporter's question caught the President flat-footed. This usage comes from one or another sport in which a player should be on his or her toes, ready to act. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Caught flat-footed, Google declared its own “code red” that year as it raced to catch up.

From The Wall Street Journal

The startup was caught flat-footed after the viral release of ChatGPT, which gave OpenAI a giant user base and a lengthy head start on sales.

From The Wall Street Journal

Caught flat-footed by 9/11, the CIA requested new authorities as the only way to catch up to the threat.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Wall Street has learned layoffs can be very disruptive and if deal activity picks up, then you can be caught flat-footed.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“Whether it’s moving people or cargo or other things we can’t even conceive yet, Amazon doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed.”

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.