English Reference
Idiom idiom

come to nothing


To fail completely; to have no result.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

All his hard work came to nothing.

CONTEXTUAL

We spent months planning the event, but the bad weather meant all our efforts came to nothing.

COMPLEX

Despite the grand promises made during the initial negotiations, the entire project ultimately came to nothing when the funding was suddenly withdrawn.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    appetite comes with eating

    Starting an activity increases one's desire to continue it.

  2. 02

    as they come

    As it is possible to be.

  3. 03

    blow to kingdom come

    To totally destroy (something); to annihilate or wipe out (something).

  4. 04

    burn that bridge when one comes to it

    To anticipate dealing with a problem or situation either by acting in a manner that alienates or cuts ties with others, or merely with the expectation of encountering trouble.

  5. 05

    Christmas come early

    Something very delightful or fortunate that is happening or has happened, especially earlier than expected.

  6. 06

    come a cropper

    To suffer some accident or misfortune; to fail.

  7. 07

    come a long way

    To make significant progress.

  8. 08

    come again

    A polite formula used when one has not heard or understood what has been said, or to indicate surprise.

Last updated August 10, 2026