Phrase guide

come to nothing

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 fail completely; to have no result.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • The Bank of England's anti-inflation efforts will come to nothing if the US Federal Reserve refuse to join in the plan.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: hədər getmək — fail; have no result
  • Azerbaijani: heçə çıxmaq — fail; have no result
  • Azerbaijani: heç olmaq — fail; have no result
  • Chinese Mandarin: 失敗 /失败 (shībài) — fail; have no result
  • Chinese Mandarin: 化為烏有 /化为乌有 (huàwéiwūyǒu) — fail; have no result
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不了了之 (bùliǎoliǎozhī) — fail; have no result
  • Chinese Mandarin: 毫無結果 /毫无结果 (háowú jiéguǒ) — fail; have no result
  • Czech: přijít vniveč — fail; have no result
  • Czech: vyjít naprázdno — fail; have no result
  • Finnish: mennä hukkaan — fail; have no result
  • French: ne servir à rien — fail; have no result
  • German: im Sande verlaufen — fail; have no result
  • German: es zu nichts bringen — fail; have no result
  • German: zu nichts führen — fail; have no result
  • Hungarian: füstbe megy — fail; have no result
  • Hungarian: kútba esik — fail; have no result
  • Ido: abortar — fail; have no result
  • Latin: pereō — fail; have no result
  • Māori: takahē — fail; have no result
  • Polish: nie prowadzić do niczego — fail; have no result
  • Russian: ни к чему́ не привести́ (ni k čemú ne privestí) — fail; have no result
  • Spanish: no servir para nada — fail; have no result
  • Spanish: quedar en nada — fail; have no result
  • Spanish: quedar en agua de borrajas — fail; have no result
  • Spanish: salir huero — fail; have no result
  • Swedish: gå om intet — fail; have no result
  • Swedish: rinna ut i sanden — fail; have no result
  • Swedish: gå i stöpet — fail; have no result