# house of cards

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/house-of-cards
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A structure or argument built on a shaky foundation.

## Examples

- His plan was a house of cards and soon collapsed.
- The company's finances were a house of cards, and when one investor pulled out, everything fell apart.
- What had seemed like a brilliant political alliance turned out to be a house of cards, held together by nothing more than mutual fear and empty promises.

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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.