# recipe for disaster

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/recipe-for-disaster
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A plan that sounds as though it will end disastrously.

## Examples

- Mixing those two chemicals is a recipe for disaster.
- Trying to finish a massive project in one night without any help is a recipe for disaster.
- The manager's decision to ignore the safety warnings while increasing production quotas was clearly a recipe for disaster that would eventually lead to a major accident.

## Origin

A combination of recipe and disaster.

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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.