down the drain

phrase

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

Browse Nearby Words

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.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!