ENGLISH
REFERENCE

come to nought

idiom
Meaning

To fail completely; to have no successful result.


Examples
SIMPLE

All our hard work came to nought in the end.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of planning the outdoor event, the heavy rain meant all our efforts came to nought.

COMPLEX

Despite his ambitious plans to reform the entire department, his proposals eventually came to nought due to a lack of support from the board.

Anchors to
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

    bring to nought

    To mar; to thwart.

  5. 05

    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.

  6. 06

    Christmas come early

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

  7. 07

    come a cropper

    To suffer some accident or misfortune; to fail.

  8. 08

    come a long way

    To make significant progress.

Last updated April 17, 2026