# run into the ground

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/run-into-the-ground
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To mismanage to the point of ruin.

## Examples

- He will run the business into the ground with his bad decisions.
- The new manager ignored every warning and eventually ran the company into the ground.
- By neglecting essential maintenance and ignoring the staff's concerns, the owner effectively ran his once-thriving enterprise into the ground within a single year.

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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.