The idiom “a lemon” refers to a product, especially a vehicle, that is found to be defective or unsatisfactory after purchase.
It can also describe anything that fails to meet expectations or is deemed worthless. For example, if someone buys a car that continually has mechanical issues, they might call it “a lemon.”
These are some examples for this idiom:
The new smartphone turned out to be a lemon after just a week of use.
I bought a used car, but it quickly became clear it was a lemon.
That treadmill was a lemon; it broke down within a month.
The latest gadget he purchased was a lemon, never functioning as promised.
She was disappointed when her new laptop proved to be a lemon.
They sold me a lemon; the washing machine always leaves clothes dirty.
I should have realized my computer was a lemon when it froze on day one.
His investment turned out to be a lemon, costing him more than it was worth.
The restaurant’s special dish was a lemon, lacking flavor and freshness.
After weeks of troubleshooting, I finally accepted that my printer was a lemon.
That fishing rod I bought online was a lemon; it snapped the first time I used it.
We discovered that the vacation rental was a lemon, far from what was advertised.
She had high hopes for the new recipe, but it turned out to be a lemon.
The vending machine dispensed a lemon of a snack that was stale and old.
My friend warned me about the laptop model, labeling it as a lemon.
The bike I ordered online arrived damaged — what a lemon!
He couldn’t believe he spent that much on a lemon of a television.
The holiday lights he bought were a lemon; half of them didn’t work.
I felt like I had received a lemon from the contractor when the renovations went wrong.
Her new shoes were a lemon, causing blisters from the first wear.