# come to grief

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/come-to-grief
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To suffer a disastrous outcome.

## Examples

- His risky business plan came to grief very quickly.
- The inexperienced sailors ignored the storm warnings and eventually came to grief on the rocky coastline.
- The ambitious political movement, once full of promise, ultimately came to grief when its leaders were exposed for corruption.

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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.