house of cards

noun phrase

: a structure, situation, or institution that is insubstantial, shaky, or in constant danger of collapse

Examples of house of cards in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Crumble under pressure: Some people may fall like a house of cards with even a little pressure and responsibility. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 By Hans-Karl Eder Jovan built these five houses of cards using a total of exactly 90 playing cards. Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2024 If so, the argument went, the very foundations of mathematics would be flawed, and the entire subject would collapse like a house of cards. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024 In the meantime, the structure of global health efforts is like a house of cards, highly vulnerable to prevailing winds. Laurie Garrett, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2012 See all Example Sentences for house of cards 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'house of cards.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of house of cards was in 1645

Dictionary Entries Near house of cards

Cite this Entry

“House of cards.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house%20of%20cards. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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