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down the drain

phrase

: to a state of being wasted or irretrievably lost
All their hard work went down the drain.

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downtake
down the drain
down the hatch
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Cite this Entry

“Down the drain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down%20the%20drain. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Definition revised
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