come to naught
idiom
old-fashioned
: to be unsuccessful : to not achieve what something was intended to do
All our efforts came to naught.
Examples of come to naught in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Even when Amor offers to empty her bank account for Salome and Lukas, the promise has come too late, or come to naught.
—
James Wood, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2021
Attempts to forge an international ban on autonomous weapons have so far come to naught.
—WIRED, 23 Feb. 2023
The promise of cryptocurrency lenders serving as a modern-day digital bank has come to naught.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2023
What becomes apparent, for example, is that Johnson, Caro, and Gottlieb suffered deeply from the chiding of their furious fathers, who reckoned that their sons would come to naught, and who have since been proved magnificently wrong.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2023
There is a nonzero chance that Trump’s bid to reclaim the throne will come to naught.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 3 Dec. 2022
When Biden finally called bin Zayed last month, he was told that the time was not right, and promises from both sides to reschedule have so far come to naught.
—Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2022
Sanofi had declined to purchase V591 and instead pursued its own research, which to date has come to naught, aside from a few grandiose PR statements.
—John R. MacArthur, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021
The Russian leader has a history of brinkmanship and prior buildups on the border have come to naught.
—Jennifer Jacobs, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Nov. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
James Wood, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2021
Attempts to forge an international ban on autonomous weapons have so far come to naught.
—WIRED, 23 Feb. 2023
The promise of cryptocurrency lenders serving as a modern-day digital bank has come to naught.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2023
What becomes apparent, for example, is that Johnson, Caro, and Gottlieb suffered deeply from the chiding of their furious fathers, who reckoned that their sons would come to naught, and who have since been proved magnificently wrong.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2023
There is a nonzero chance that Trump’s bid to reclaim the throne will come to naught.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 3 Dec. 2022
When Biden finally called bin Zayed last month, he was told that the time was not right, and promises from both sides to reschedule have so far come to naught.
—Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2022
Sanofi had declined to purchase V591 and instead pursued its own research, which to date has come to naught, aside from a few grandiose PR statements.
—John R. MacArthur, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021
The Russian leader has a history of brinkmanship and prior buildups on the border have come to naught.
—Jennifer Jacobs, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Nov. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near come to naught
Cite this Entry
“Come to naught.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/come%20to%20naught. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share