go down in flames
goh DOWN in FLAYMZ
/ɡoʊ daʊn ɪn fleɪmz/
To fail spectacularly and publicly.
Implies a dramatic, irreversible, and often embarrassing failure.
The story behind the word. This likely comes from aerial combat in World War I or II, where a plane hit by enemy fire would literally go down in flames. It was a visible and total defeat.
Word relationships
- crash and burn: 'Crash and burn' is almost identical in meaning and intensity.
- soar: To soar is to fly high and succeed, the opposite of crashing in flames.
Commonly confused with
- blow it: 'Blow it' can be a small mistake; 'go down in flames' is always a major disaster.
Collocations
- really go down in flames
- watch it go down in flames
- destined to go down in flames
Example sentences
- "His political career went down in flames after the scandal was revealed." Career failure
- "The blind date went down in flames within the first ten minutes." Relationship
Memory hook
Imagine a plane spiraling out of the sky with smoke and fire trailing behind it. Dramatic crash.
When not to use
Avoid in contexts involving actual fires or tragedies to prevent being insensitive.
Fun facts
- The phrase is often used today to describe internet 'flame wars' or arguments that get out of hand.
Related words
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