a sure thing gone wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a sure thing gone wrong" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation that was expected to succeed but ended up failing or having negative consequences. For example, "The project was a sure thing gone wrong when the budget was exceeded." Alternative expressions include "a guaranteed failure" and "a certain disaster."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Sure, things go wrong with live broadcasts, but at times it felt like we were watching The International Silver String Submarine Band.

Huffington Post

Only one thing went wrong.

Forbes

Automakers, then, need to make sure they boost the number of things gone right, not just wrestle with the number of things gone wrong.

Forbes

A few things went wrong.

The Guardian

"A bunch of things went wrong last week," he said, "and I'm sure a whole bunch of things will go wrong this week".

The New York Times

"During war, a lot of things go wrong," Nyamwasa explained.

The New York Times - Magazine

"A number of things went wrong in these two instances.

BBC

Know how to handle a horse when things go wrong.

WikiHow

That gives executives an excuse when things go wrong.2.2

The Economist

Sure, things have gone wrong in Greece, but what makes me angry is that there are people who have to look for food in rubbish bins while at the same time super-wealthy Greeks buy expensive homes in London and Berlin.

HuffPost

(optional) Have a back up plan should things go wrong.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

This phrase works effectively in narrative non-fiction and journalistic headlines to immediately hook the reader with a sense of subverted expectations.

Common error

Do not add words like "completely" or "totally" before "gone wrong" as the phrase already implies a absolute shift in state. Using "a completely sure thing gone wrong" makes the sentence clunky and dilutes the impact of the contrast between certainty and failure.

Linguistic Context

In linguistic terms as analyzed by Ludwig, the phrase "a sure thing gone wrong" functions as a complex noun phrase where "gone wrong" acts as a post-positive participial adjective modifying the head noun phrase "a sure thing". This structure allows for a concise description of a state change.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a sure thing gone wrong" is a correct and evocative phrase used to describe the failure of an outcome that was previously considered certain. While Ludwig data shows that the exact phrase is rare in structured databases, the individual components are widely used by authoritative sources such as The New York Times and The Economist. The phrase is particularly useful in journalistic and narrative writing where the goal is to highlight the subversion of expectations. It combines an informal idiom with a standard participial modifier to create a powerful image of misplaced confidence. When using it, remember that its strength lies in the sharp contrast between the 'certainty' of the past and the 'failure' of the present.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reliable plan gone awry

uses more formal vocabulary to describe a failure of a trusted system

ironclad deal gone south

incorporates an idiom to emphasize the unexpected nature of the failure

guaranteed failure

replaces the noun phrase with a direct oxymoronic description

miscalculated safe bet

shifts the focus toward the error in judgment rather than the outcome

failing safe bet

uses the gambling metaphor to imply a high level of previous confidence

certain disaster

is more hyperbolic and emphasizes the severity of the negative result

flawed guarantee

focuses on the inherent weakness of the original promise

shattered expectation

is more emotive and focuses on the psychological impact of the failure

botched certainty

implies that the failure was due to poor execution of a sound concept

failed formality

suggests the outcome was expected to be so easy it was just a procedural step

FAQs

How to use "a sure thing gone wrong" in a sentence?

You can use it as a subject or a predicate nominative. For example, "The merger was "a sure thing gone wrong" after the hidden debts were revealed."

What can I say instead of "a sure thing gone wrong"?

Depending on your context, you could use phrases like "guaranteed failure", "certain disaster", or "safe bet gone awry".

Is "a sure thing gone wrong" formal enough for business reports?

While understandable, it is slightly idiomatic. In formal business settings, you might prefer "unforeseen failure of a low-risk strategy" to maintain a professional tone.

What is the difference between "a sure thing gone wrong" and "a failed plan"?

The main difference is the level of initial confidence; "a failed plan" could apply to any project, whereas "a sure thing" implies that success was considered inevitable before the failure occurred.