Idioms

a flash in the pan

This page is about the idiom a flash in the pan

Meaning

You can say something or someone is a flash in the pan if they're popular or effective for a short time only.

For example

  • Her first song was a big hit, but when Debbie's next song didn't do so well people started calling her a flash in the pan.

  • Dave says he doesn't mind being called a flash in the pan because he still gets money for the book he wrote, even though he never wrote another one.

Quick Quiz

The company hopes that their new computer game won't just be a flash in the pan, but that it'll

a. be popular for a long time

b. be unpopular for a very long time

c. be very popular for a short time
a) be popular for a long time b) be unpopular for a very long time c) be very popular for a short time

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Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey