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turkey

turkey

12 8.6
An event like a movie or play that fails completely
  • noun
  • /ˈtɜrki/
  • Archaic
translation icon : fracaso
  • I got a $100 million movie that's tracking like a turkey, and it opens in two weeks.
  • a big turkey

Examples

  • With all the good ideas and great new websites, there will be turkeys.

    Blog text (7)
  • I've produced a lot of turkeys.

  • A turkey that failed and was more work than it was worth, and a lot of indigestion.

    Blog text (23)
  • They'd better get the casting and direction spot on; otherwise, this is gonna be a turkey that buries their other properties for a long, long time.

    Blog text (15)
  • To put it plainly, most don't know a quark from a quasar, and they simply can't distinguish the worthy projects from the turkeys.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The new comedy movie was a total turkey, failing to impress audiences or critics alike.

  • His last album was a turkey, receiving negative reviews and poor sales.

  • After months of anticipation, the play turned out to be a turkey, leaving many in the audience disappointed.

Synonyms

failure
vsturkey
557 1.3

Not reaching what was planned or expected

is the specific term for a very unsuccessful event or performance
bomb
vsturkey
  • Informal
139 5.6

A complete failure, for example a show or plan that no one likes

is the general term for any very unsuccessful event or thing
bust
vsturkey
  • Informal
102 4.5

A complete failure of an event or plan

is used broadly for any very unsuccessful event, performance, or thing
fiasco
vsturkey
76 6.2

A complete embarrassing failure that happens suddenly and causes big problems

is failure without necessarily being embarrassing or sudden
debacle
vsturkey
75 8.5

A sudden complete failure that causes public embarrassment or big loss

is a general label for very unsuccessful events rather than disasters
dud
vsturkey
  • Informal
14 4.7

Something that fails to work or please people

is about entire events or performances that fail completely
total bomb
vsturkey
  • Informal
7.7

A thing such as a film or product that fails badly with people

is about complete lack of success regardless of money or reception

Antonyms

1.0

Getting what you want after working hard

870 2.5

To reach a target or goal

Idioms

cold turkey
  • Informal
21 6.7

Suddenly stopping a habit or drug completely without cutting down first

7 8.2

Stop a habit or addiction all at once

to talk turkey
  • Informal
6 7.0

Discuss important matters directly to reach an agreement

1 9.1

Having eaten so much that you feel uncomfortable and want to rest

Compounds

4 1.0

The lower part of a turkey that people cook and eat

jive turkey
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A person who pretends and lies to impress others

3 8.4

An event or situation where winning is very easy, for example a shooting contest with easy targets

3 6.0

A large bird with dark feathers that eats dead animals

Turkey meat cooked in an oven and served as a main dish

1 9.9

A male turkey

A seasoned mix of bread and herbs used to fill a roast turkey or serve with it

1 7.8

A large bird with a red bald head that eats dead animals

The lower part of a turkey's leg that people cook and eat

1 2.2

A wing of a turkey that people eat

brush turkey
  • Australian
9.7

A large black bird that builds big nesting mounds in the woods of Australia and New Guinea

A small slow-growing tree with leaves shaped like a turkey's foot that lives on dry sandy soil

A large tree from Europe that loses its leaves and has long leaves with spiky edges

Meat from a female turkey is more tender and tastes milder

A wild bird from Central America and northern South America with shiny feathers and round eye spots on its tail

A country partly in Europe and partly in Asia

9.1

A wild turkey that lives in the bush and has tougher meat

8.1

A tree from the southeastern United States with thin leaves that have pointy tips and deep lobes

Turkey red
  • Archaic
9.6

A bright orange-red color traditionally used to dye cotton cloth

A thick hot meal of turkey and vegetables cooked together

9.9

A male turkey with large colorful tail feathers

turkey coma
  • Informal
7.2

A feeling of being very sleepy after a large holiday meal, often with turkey

8.4

A large tree from Europe and Asia with long narrow leaves with pointed lobes

turkey trot
  • Archaic
9.5

An early dance to lively ragtime music with quick jerky steps like a bird

About as large as a turkey

3.4

A short fun run held around Thanksgiving to raise money for charity

9.7

A large black water bird with a long neck and pointed beak that swims in swamps

How Unsuccessful

disaster
1.0
fiasco
76 6.2
turkey
  • Archaic
12 8.6
to flop
19 4.0
dud
  • Informal
14 4.7

Surface Forms

turkey singular
turkeys plural

Etymology

Turkey meaning 'a failure' comes from a long use of the bird as a poor or unwanted prize, so a show or thing that is useless became called a turkey. That's why calling a play or movie a turkey means it did very badly.