# come to nought

idiom

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

## Meaning

To fail completely; to have no successful result.

## Examples

- All our hard work came to nought in the end.
- After months of planning the outdoor event, the heavy rain meant all our efforts came to nought.
- Despite his ambitious plans to reform the entire department, his proposals eventually came to nought due to a lack of support from the board.

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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.