Phrase guide

fall at the last hurdle

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɔːl æt ðə ˌlɑːst ˈhɜːdl̩/
  • General-American: /ˈfɔl æt ðə ˌlæst ˈhɝd(ə)l/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)dəl

1

verb

Meaning 1

To fail near the end of an activity, a project, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fall at the final hurdle, fall at the last

Antonyms: cross the line, go all the way

History

Etymology

Probably from hurdling, a type of horse racing where horses jump over obstacles called hurdles. The term refers to a horse successfully clearing all but the last hurdle.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese: 功虧一簣 /功亏一篑 (gōngkuīyīkuì) — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Chinese: 功敗垂成 /功败垂成 (gōngbàichuíchéng) — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Finnish: hyytyä viime metreillä — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Polish: ponosić porażkę na końcu — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Polish: ponieść porażkę na końcu — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Portuguese: morrer na praia — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Spanish: quedarse a la puerta — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.
  • Swedish: falla på målsnöret — to fail near the end of an activity, etc.