# busted flush

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/busted-flush
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Anything which ends up worthless despite great potential.

## Examples

- The startup became a busted flush after the market crashed.
- He invested everything in that property deal, but it turned out to be a busted flush.
- The ambitious infrastructure project, hailed as the future of the region, lay abandoned and rusting — a busted flush that had consumed the city's entire budget.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.