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come to grief

Idioms  
  1. Meet with disaster or failure. For example, The icy runway caused at least one light plane to come to grief. [Mid-1800s]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Two oilmen would come to grief, more or less, in the 1920s.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 3, 2023

And, like other presidents who mistook their mandate, his administration has come to grief.

From Washington Post Dec. 21, 2021

HAMILTON, Bermuda — Many a well-financed maritime expedition has come to grief through the centuries in the treacherous, deep blue waters off Bermuda.

From New York Times Jun. 26, 2017

To the despair of their image-makers, some politicians' attempts to forge a bond with ordinary folk often come to grief.

From BBC Apr. 22, 2015

But without any light they would soon have come to grief.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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