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Glite Dictionary
to go in the toilet

to go in the toilet

1 7.9
To fail completely
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : irse al traste
  • I can't believe my plans went in the toilet so quickly!

Examples

  • His hopes of a successful launch went in the toilet when the engineers missed the deadline.

  • After the funding was cut, the project went in the toilet.

  • All our hard work went in the toilet when the computer crashed.

  • His dreams of promotion went in the toilet after he missed the deadline.

  • All my savings went in the toilet after the bad investment.

  • After the unexpected financial crisis, several of our projects went in the toilet.

  • The team's chances of winning the championship went in the toilet after their key player got injured.

Synonyms

to fail
vsto go in the toilet
898 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

focuses on complete ruin or destruction rather than simple lack of success
to go wrong
vsto go in the toilet
495 2.4

To fail or happen in a bad way

implies total ruin or destruction rather than a merely unwanted outcome
to go nowhere
vsto go in the toilet
119 4.6

Fail to make progress or get any result

is stronger meaning total ruin rather than just no progress
to fall through
vsto go in the toilet
37 4.1

To fail to happen or be finished as planned

implies plans are ruined or destroyed rather than only not taking place
to go bad
vsto go in the toilet
  • US
33 3.5

Stop working and need repair

applies to plans and efforts failing or being ruined not equipment breakdowns
to flop
vsto go in the toilet
19 4.0

To end without success, often in public like a show

focuses on being ruined or destroyed rather than just being unsuccessful
to go up in smoke
vsto go in the toilet
  • Informal
18 5.5

Plans or hopes suddenly fail and disappear for good

is about plans failing completely or being ruined more generally
to go belly up
vsto go in the toilet
  • Informal
15 5.3

To fail completely and close, especially a business or project

is broader applying to any plans or efforts not only businesses
to turn to shit
vsto go in the toilet
  • Offensive
9 9.9

To go very badly and fail completely

expresses severe ruin similarly but in neutral language rather than vulgarity
to turn to dust
vsto go in the toilet
7 6.6

To be completely ruined and lose all value

is the general failure of plans or efforts without stressing total destruction
to come to nothing
vsto go in the toilet
6 4.6

Fail to produce any result

is about complete ruin rather than merely producing no result
to be a bomb
vsto go in the toilet
  • Slang
5 8.6

Fail completely so people see it does not work

refers to being ruined or destroyed rather than merely looking bad
to go pear-shaped
vsto go in the toilet
  • UK
3 7.9

To fail or go badly wrong, especially a plan

is about plans being ruined completely rather than simply going wrong
to cack
vsto go in the toilet
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To pass poo or, in slang, to fail and make a mess of something

is specifically about plans or efforts being ruined rather than bodily action
to poop out
vsto go in the toilet
  • Informal
1 8.4

To become very tired or stop working

focuses on complete ruin of plans rather than mere exhaustion or stoppage
to go to the bow-wows
vsto go in the toilet
  • Archaic
9.9

To become ruined and fail completely

is the same idea but stresses total ruin of plans or efforts
to belly-flop
vsto go in the toilet
  • Informal
6.9

To fail completely in an embarrassing way

means being ruined or destroyed rather than just an embarrassing failure
to turn into a shithouse
vsto go in the toilet
  • Offensive
9.9

To suddenly become chaotic and very messy

describes ruin through disorder rather than the plain failure of plans

Antonyms

to succeed
846 2.0

To reach a goal after trying hard

to thrive
241 3.2

To grow well and be successful

How Successful

to succeed
846 2.0
to do well
520 1.2
to fail
898 1.0
to flop
19 4.0
to collapse
579 3.9
to go in the toilet
  • Informal
1 7.9

Surface Forms

go in the toilet infinitive
went in the toilet past
gone in the toilet past participle
going in the toilet present participle
goes in the toilet third person singular

Morphology

go + in + the + toilet

A B1 learner who knows 'go', 'in', 'the', and 'toilet' will most likely interpret this as physically entering a restroom; the figurative sense 'to fail completely' or 'be ruined' is not derivable from the literal meanings of the constituents. This is an idiomatic/metaphorical use (similar to 'go down the toilet') and thus unpredictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Go in the toilet may come from the clear image of something important being flushed down a toilet and destroyed, so it is used to mean 'to fail completely' or be ruined.