to torpedo their chances
- idiom
:
arruinar sus posibilidades
- One careless mistake could torpedo their chances of landing the contract.
Examples
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Leaking the sensitive information could seriously torpedo their chances in the competition.
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Don't torpedo their chances by criticizing them now!
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A single missed deadline might torpedo their chances for promotion this year.
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He torpedoed their chances with his careless comments.
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A single missed deadline might torpedo their chances for promotion this year.
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Leaking the sensitive information could seriously torpedo their chances in the competition.
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One careless mistake could torpedo their chances of landing the contract.
Synonyms
164
7.1
To damage things on purpose so they stop working
13
5.1
To destroy or ruin something suddenly and completely
5
5.6
Make attempts to reach a goal weaker or less effective
1
6.1
To completely ruin something such as a plan or career
Make someone lose their chance of success
To greatly reduce your chances of success
Antonyms
How Self-Defeating
10
5.8
- Informal
20
8.4
- Archaic
49
3.0
37
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'torpedo' (to wreck or destroy) applied to 'chances' (possibilities/opportunities) yields 'ruin their chances.' The pronoun 'their' is transparent, and although 'torpedo' is metaphorical, the action-to-object composition is clear and predictable to a learner who knows the words.
Etymology
The phrase torpedo their chances comes from the image of a torpedo, a weapon that makes a hole in a ship and sinks it. So if something torpedoes your chances, it hits them suddenly and destroys them, meaning 'to ruin' your chances.