# land the plane

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/land-the-plane
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To abort an unsuccessful enterprise, especially an unsuccessful political campaign.

## Examples

- The campaign is failing, so it is time to land the plane.
- After months of poor polling numbers, the candidate finally decided to land the plane and withdraw from the race.
- Recognizing that the initiative had lost all public support, the leadership team chose to land the plane rather than continue wasting resources on a doomed endeavor.

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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.