# no plan survives contact with the enemy

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/no-plan-survives-contact-with-the-enemy
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

After a plan against an enemy is drafted, there will be unexpected elements from the opposition that will call for improvisation.

## Examples

- We made a plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy.
- We prepared for the presentation, but the client asked unexpected questions because no plan survives contact with the enemy.
- The general knew that despite their meticulous tactical preparations, no plan survives contact with the enemy once the chaos of the battlefield begins.

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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.