# pave the road to hell

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pave-the-road-to-hell
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To lead to a disaster by acting with good intentions.

## Examples

- Good intentions often pave the road to hell.
- He tried to help his friend, but his interference only paved the road to hell.
- While the policy was designed to foster equality, its unintended consequences paved the road to hell for the local economy.

## Origin

From the proverb the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

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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.