Phrase guide

go to pot

verb · 3 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 come to ruin, especially to decline or deteriorate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • They haven't been maintaining it, and the downtown area has really gone to pot over the past 20 years.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

Go to hell; an angry dismissal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

Qualifier: dismissal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

become ruined

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His business went to pot when economy soured

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: go to the dogs

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deteriorate

History

Etymology

Figuratively be cut up and tossed into a pot like meat.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: spaak lopen — grow worse
  • Finnish: rapistua — grow worse
  • German: auf dem absteigenden Ast sein — grow worse
  • Hungarian: tönkremegy — grow worse
  • Icelandic: fara í hundana — grow worse
  • Irish: dul le cúr na habhann — grow worse
  • Italian: andare a puttane — grow worse
  • Italian: andare a fanculo — grow worse
  • Italian: andare a farsi benedire — grow worse
  • Polish: schodzić na psy — grow worse
  • Polish: zejść na psy — grow worse
  • Romanian: se duce naibii — grow worse
  • Romanian: se duce dracului — grow worse
  • Romanian: se duce pe apa sâmbetei — grow worse
  • Russian: приходить в упадок (prixoditʹ v upadok) — grow worse
  • Swedish: gå åt skogen — grow worse