hard work undone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard work undone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe efforts or labor that have been negated or rendered ineffective, often due to unforeseen circumstances or mistakes. Example: "After the project was canceled, all the hard work undone left the team feeling disheartened."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But I also don't want three years of hard work undone after we've achieved so much in terms of confronting the heinous crime of child grooming.

Independent

(During this exchange, McDonald tweeted, wittily and discreetly, "Here's what I think... to quote the greatest musical theater composer of our time... 'Art isn't easy.' ") Sondheim is of an age where he may worry about the notion of legacy; no writer wants to look in from the afterlife and see his hard work undone or misinterpreted.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

All that hard work is undone by Dell 'Ugos "special edition" dessert: chocolate ravioli.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But your hard work was undone by a government that didn't work, didn't put people first, and wasn't on your side.

The New York Times

But within moments of the re-start much of that hard work was undone.

BBC

However, their hard work was undone when Hamill's misplaced pass was pounced on by Hayes.

BBC

But the Almondvale side's hard work was undone five minutes from the end as David Weatherston slotted home Falkirk's winner from close range.

BBC

Scarlets had most of the territory and possession but there hard work was undone in the space of five minutes before half-time.

BBC

All our hard work was undone within two minutes of the restart but the response from the players was the most pleasing factor for me.

BBC

He would not be the first Italian technocrat to see his work undone by feckless politicians.

The Economist

"And when we are putting in all that effort the last thing we want is for our hard work to be undone each day in the school cafeteria".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hard work undone" to emphasize the disappointment or frustration when significant effort has been rendered ineffective. It's particularly impactful when describing situations where progress was expected or already achieved.

Common error

Avoid using "hard work undone" when the task was simply not completed. This phrase implies that previous effort was actively negated, not just left unfinished. Use it when something actively reversed the progress.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard work undone" functions as a verb phrase typically used to describe a situation where previous efforts or progress have been negated or rendered ineffective. Ludwig's examples show its use in both news and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hard work undone" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe situations where significant effort has been negated or reversed. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and provides examples across news, general and scientific contexts. While not exceedingly common, it effectively conveys disappointment or frustration when progress is lost. To avoid misuse, reserve this phrase for scenarios where effort was actively undone, not merely left incomplete. Consider alternatives like "efforts wasted" or "labor lost" for similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

efforts wasted

Focuses on the futility of the effort expended.

labor lost

Emphasizes the loss of work that was performed.

toil in vain

Highlights the lack of positive outcome despite significant exertion.

fruitless endeavor

Indicates that the attempt did not yield any results.

abortive attempt

Suggests the effort was cut short or failed to achieve its goal.

progress negated

Highlights that prior progress was reversed or canceled out.

setback incurred

Focuses on the negative impact and regression caused.

achievements reversed

Emphasizes that previous successes were undone.

gains nullified

Highlights that positive gains were made ineffective.

undoing efforts

Highlights the act of nullifying progress.

FAQs

How can I use "hard work undone" in a sentence?

You can use "hard work undone" to describe situations where previous efforts have been negated or rendered ineffective. For example: "After the policy change, all their "hard work" was "in vain"".

What's a stronger way to say "hard work undone"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "efforts wasted", "labor lost", or "toil in vain" to emphasize the futility of the work.

Is it appropriate to use "hard work undone" in formal writing?

Yes, "hard work undone" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when describing setbacks or policy failures. However, consider the tone and whether a more impactful phrase like "achievements reversed" might be more suitable.

Which is more accurate: "hard work undone" or "work undone"?

"Hard work undone" implies a significant level of effort that was subsequently negated, while "work undone" simply indicates that some work was not completed or was reversed. Choose the phrase that best reflects the magnitude of the effort involved.