go down like a sack of potatoes
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To fall hard and fast; to fall ungracefully.
Register: informal
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “go down like a sack of potatoes” mean?
To fall hard and fast; to fall ungracefully.
Is “go down like a sack of potatoes” formal or informal?
go down like a sack of potatoes is generally informal.