# come to nothing

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/come-to-nothing
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To fail completely; to have no result.

## Examples

- All his hard work came to nothing.
- We spent months planning the event, but the bad weather meant all our efforts came to nothing.
- Despite the grand promises made during the initial negotiations, the entire project ultimately came to nothing when the funding was suddenly withdrawn.

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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.