# go down the drain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-down-the-drain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of go down the toilet: to fail.

## Examples

- All my hard work went down the drain.
- The project failed, and months of careful planning went down the drain.
- Without proper funding, the ambitious startup saw its years of research and development go down the drain overnight.

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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.