plans gone wrong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plans gone wrong" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe situations where intended plans or strategies have failed or resulted in negative outcomes. Example: "Despite our best efforts, the event turned out to be a disaster due to several plans gone wrong."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

As he pieced together a ground-level view of Islamic extremism — talking to a wide spectrum of British Muslims, interviewing security experts, poring over transcripts and documents from terrorism trials — he noticed an abundance of plans gone wrong and a pattern of incongruous situations and idiotic behavior: the makings of farce, in other words.

The New York Times

Even late stage "safe" businesses suddenly revert to spending hundreds of thousands a month as they grapple with a tough economy and expansion plans gone wrong.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

That's the way it is when plans go wrong: You don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The New York Times

New Orleanians, many of whom sought refuge in Houston after Katrina, hit the road again.But even the best-laid plans go wrong.

The Economist

Number one, plan your life (if the plans go wrong, you can always re-plan; but it's the people without a plan who are most often unfulfilled).

The Guardian - Opinion

Two further reviews will examine why the rail investment plans went wrong, as well as the future financing and structures of Network Rail.

The Guardian

Its director of external affairs, Jane Harris, said: "Just leaving the house is a challenge for many of the 600,000 autistic people in England, involving detailed preparation and sometimes overwhelming anxiety about plans going wrong.

The Guardian

The plot is very complicated and a lot of plans go wrong or backfire, it gets a bit confusing at times because there is so much deceit taking place.

The Guardian

In a separate statement, he said: "The events over the Christmas period highlighted the unacceptable impact on the travelling public when plans go wrong … We have an obligation to manage the essential safety maintenance and renewal activity that is required and we need to do this in a manner that minimises the overall impact on society at large.

The Guardian - Business

The jurors also watched a videotape of Mr. Salley's statement to the police, in which he said that the visit to Ms. Stahl's apartment was meant to be a robbery, but that the plans went wrong almost as soon as he and Mr. Smith entered the top-floor apartment near Seventh Avenue and 55th Street.

The New York Times

What if all my well-laid plans go wrong?

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "plans gone wrong", ensure the context clearly indicates whose plans are being referred to and what the negative consequences were. It helps to add a descriptive adjective before "plans" to add specificity.

Common error

While "plans gone wrong" is acceptable, it leans toward informal language. In business or academic writing, opt for alternatives like "failed strategies" or "unsuccessful initiatives" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plans gone wrong" functions as a nominal phrase, acting as a subject or object within a sentence. It describes a state or condition of intended actions that have resulted in failure. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is usable in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

33%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "plans gone wrong" is a grammatically sound and understandable way to express that intended plans or strategies have failed. Ludwig confirms its usability in written English. While commonly found in news and media sources, as well as general online content like wikis, it may be more appropriate to use alternatives like "failed strategies" or "unsuccessful initiatives" in formal contexts. Ensure to consider the tone and the audience when choosing between this and similar phrases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failed plans

This alternative offers a more concise and direct way of expressing the same concept. It replaces "gone wrong" with the single word "failed".

plans that backfired

This suggests that the plans not only failed, but also had an unintended and negative consequence.

schemes gone awry

This alternative replaces "plans" with "schemes", implying a more complex or potentially devious plan. "Awry" suggests a deviation from the intended course.

strategies that misfired

This is suitable when discussing strategic plans, particularly in a business or military context. It emphasizes the lack of desired effect.

projects gone off track

This is specifically applicable for projects. It underscores a deviation from the schedule or the original goal.

initiatives that flopped

This implies that a particular initiative, an attempt to start something, failed dramatically.

arrangements gone sour

It implies a negative or unpleasant outcome.

calculations proved wrong

This phrase stresses that a previously sound calculation ended up being wrong.

designs gone bad

This phrase emphasizes a failure in the initial design or conception stage, leading to negative results.

intentions turned sour

This focuses on initial good intentions that led to unfavorable outcomes.

FAQs

How can I use "plans gone wrong" in a sentence?

You can use "plans gone wrong" to describe situations where intended plans have failed. For example: "Despite our best efforts, the event turned out to be a disaster due to several "plans gone wrong"."

What are some alternatives to "plans gone wrong"?

Alternatives include "failed plans", "plans that backfired", or "schemes gone awry" depending on the context.

Is "plans gone wrong" grammatically correct?

Yes, "plans gone wrong" is grammatically correct and commonly used. It's a concise way to describe plans that have not succeeded.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "plans gone wrong"?

The phrase "plans gone wrong" is suitable for general conversation and informal writing. In more formal or professional contexts, consider using alternatives like "unsuccessful strategies" or "flawed initiatives".