go pear-shaped

phrase

British, informal
: to go wrong
She was in debt, and when she lost her job it all went pear-shaped.

Browse Nearby Words

gopak
go pear-shaped
GOPer
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Cite this Entry

“Go pear-shaped.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20pear-shaped. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

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