come for nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "come for nothing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has no value or purpose, often in the context of an effort or action that yields no results. Example: "After all the hard work we put in, it feels like our efforts have come for nothing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

They come for nothing".

The New York Times - Books

"Long way to come for nothing!" Owen tweeted minutes after the incident.

The Guardian - Sport

A long, long way for both horse and rider to come for nothing.

The Guardian - Sport

All those fast trains, first-rate hospitals and public crèches do not come for nothing, and the French are the first to defend a way of life subsidised by the public purse that can often only be bought privately in Britain or America.

The Economist

First of all, you have to keep calm, don't get too excited when you see him/her arrive but show your interest for him/her, or you have come for nothing!

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Nothing comes for nothing, it seems, and genius has its price.Savant syndrome, then, is a case where the politically correct euphemism "differently abled" has real meaning.

The Economist

[F, 48, thicker, other, 4w/78w] I think most people that I know would be afraid of the doctor saying to himself or herself, you know, there's people just coming for nothing at all.

BMJ Open

"We didn't come here for nothing," said Bernard Adusei, a Ghanaian driver who immigrated 21 years ago.

The New York Times

He said the large swaths of land known as East Jerusalem that Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war and later annexed must stay Israeli because "we didn't come here for nothing".

The New York Times

That's the cliche for people who come from nothing.

The Guardian - Sport

It didn't come from nothing, or something for that matter, because it always existed and it always will.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "come for nothing" to express disappointment or frustration when efforts do not yield the desired result. It emphasizes that time and energy were expended without a valuable outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "come for nothing" in situations where the lack of result is minor or inconsequential. The phrase carries a sense of significant disappointment or wasted effort, and using it in trivial contexts can sound exaggerated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "come for nothing" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used adverbially to modify verbs and describe the futility of an action. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, highlighting its use to express disappointment.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "come for nothing" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that signifies a wasted effort or a fruitless endeavor. Ludwig AI confirms this, and its usage across varied sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian, albeit infrequently, highlights its acceptability in general writing. When using "come for nothing", ensure the context warrants the level of disappointment or frustration the phrase conveys, and consider related phrases such as "be all for naught" or "be in vain" to refine your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be all for naught

Emphasizes the futility and lack of positive outcome from a previous effort.

be in vain

Highlights the lack of success or value derived from an action or endeavor.

end up achieving nothing

Focuses on the absence of any tangible accomplishment or result.

result in futility

Implies that the outcome is pointless or ineffective despite effort.

prove fruitless

Suggests that efforts did not produce the desired or expected outcome.

not amount to anything

Indicates that the value or significance of something is negligible or nonexistent.

yield no results

Stresses the absence of any positive or measurable outcomes.

go down the drain

This idiom describes something that is wasted or lost, particularly when it involves effort or resources.

turn out to be pointless

Highlights that an endeavor was ultimately without a valuable purpose or significance.

be a waste of time

Focuses on the idea that time was spent on something unproductive or unrewarding.

FAQs

How can I use "come for nothing" in a sentence?

You can use "come for nothing" to express that an effort or journey was pointless because it did not achieve its intended goal. For example, "After all that studying, the exam results felt like it had all "been all for naught"".

What does "come for nothing" mean?

"Come for nothing" means that an effort, journey, or action was ultimately pointless because it failed to achieve its purpose or yield any positive result. It suggests a sense of wasted time and energy.

What are some alternatives to "come for nothing"?

Alternatives to "come for nothing" include "be in vain", "prove fruitless", or "not amount to anything". The best alternative depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "came for nothing" instead of "come for nothing"?

Yes, using "came for nothing" is correct when referring to a past event or action. For example, "We "came for nothing" because the meeting was canceled" indicates that the journey or effort already occurred and did not yield any results.