# leave someone at the altar

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/leave-someone-at-the-altar
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To abandon a prospective spouse by deciding not to get married at the last minute.

## Examples

- He left his partner at the altar on their wedding day.
- The guests were shocked when the groom suddenly left his bride at the altar and walked out of the church.
- After years of dating, she never expected that he would leave her at the altar, effectively ending their relationship in front of all their friends and family.

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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.