# god that failed

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/god-that-failed
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A notable let-down or flop; a concept, product, or person that has failed to live up to very high expectations.

## Examples

- That new phone is a god that failed.
- Many investors now view the collapsed startup as a god that failed.
- The ambitious software project was supposed to change the industry, but it became a god that failed after the launch crashed.
- After the expensive restaurant received terrible reviews for its poor service and cold food, the famous chef realized his new venture was a god that failed.
- The political movement, once hailed as a savior of the working class, eventually revealed itself as a god that failed, leaving its followers disillusioned and bitter.

## Origin

Popularised by the 1949 publication of *The God That Failed*, a collection of essays written by prominent ex-communists. The volume critiqued the ideology of communism, characterising the movement as a God that had proved insufficient. The title provided the template for the modern idiom, which retains the original nouns and the specific sense of a grand ideal found to be fundamentally flawed.

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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.