Phrase guide

come to grief

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To suffer a disastrous outcome.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • J. R. R. Tolkien These elves and half-elves and wizards, they would come to grief perhaps.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: mennä pahasti pieleen — to have a disastrous outcome
  • Finnish: epäonnistua pahasti — to have a disastrous outcome
  • French: exploser en vol — to have a disastrous outcome
  • Hungarian: pórul jár — to have a disastrous outcome
  • Polish: lec w gruzach — to have a disastrous outcome
  • Polish: legnąć w gruzach — to have a disastrous outcome