Hard Times: English Vocabulary List

causing a negative consequence or cost to someone or something in order to benefit another

"He succeeded at the expense of his health."

"He achieved success at the expense of his health because he worked too hard."

to intentionally cause something or someone to fail or experience a negative outcome by creating specific conditions

"Poor planning dooms the entire project."

"The lack of funding could doom the project to failure before it even gets a chance to start."

to remain the same and fail to make any progress

"Sales have flatlined."

"Despite their efforts, the company's stock price continued to flatline for the entire quarter."

unable to result in success or anything useful

"The effort was futile."

"The futile effort to save the old building from demolition failed because the city council had already voted unanimously to tear it down."

bringing bad fortune or ending in failure

"The voyage was ill-fated."

"The ill-fated expedition ended in tragedy when all of the climbers were caught in an avalanche and none of them survived the disaster."

without success or achieving the desired result

"He tried in vain to open the door."

"He tried in vain to open the door but it was locked from the inside and he had to call a locksmith for help."

a thing or person that is impossible to improve or succeed

"Hopeless lost cause."

"Trying to change his mind was a hopeless lost cause from the beginning."

a person who lacks influence or importance in a particular setting or community

"The speaker was a political nonentity."

"After his election defeat he became a political nonentity that no one bothered to interview anymore."

to go beyond limits of one's power or authority, often resulting in negative consequences or failure

"Do not overreach your authority here."

"The ambitious politician overreached himself by promising more than he could possibly deliver to the voters."

to continually cause someone or something difficulty, pain, or worry

"Problems plague the project."

"The constant technical glitches continue to plague the development team, delaying the product launch."

to do something in order to cause something such as an opportunity or plan to fail

"He will scupper the plan."

"His careless remarks were intended to scupper the delicate negotiations between the two countries."

a problem that gets in the way of a process or makes it worse

"Major setback delayed project."

"The injury was a major setback for the athlete who had trained for years for the Olympics."

to speak to someone in a way that suggests they are inferior or less intelligent than the speaker

"Do not talk down to me."

"He tends to talk down to anyone he perceives as less knowledgeable than himself."

an individual, team, etc. who is regarded as weaker compared to others and has little chance of success as a result

"Team is underdog."

"Everyone loves cheering for the underdog who wins against all expectations and stronger opponents."

not possible to reach or obtain

"His goal is unattainable."

"His goal is unattainable because it is impossible to become a professional athlete at his age."

causing problem or difficulty

"This is a thorny issue."

"The committee debated the thorny issue of immigration for hours and they still could not reach a consensus on the best policy."

(of a joke, remark, event, etc.) to be completely unsuccessful in amusing people or having the desired effect

"The joke fell flat."

"His attempt at humor fell flat, leaving the audience in awkward silence."

to fail in achieving the desired result

"The ad missed the mark."

"The company's latest marketing campaign completely missed the mark because it failed to connect with younger audiences."

to not accept or complete an obligation or duty

"He will abdicate his duty."

"The aging king decided to abdicate the throne in favor of his eldest son."

to have a result contrary to what one desired or intended

"His plan backfired and caused more problems."

"His plan to embarrass his coworker completely backfired and ended up making him look foolish instead in front of everyone."

a flaw, weakness, or shortcoming that reduces the effectiveness, quality, or completeness of something

"Vitamin deficiency causes problem."

"A vitamin D deficiency can cause weak bones and increase the risk of fractures."

to cleverly avoid or escape from someone or something

"The answer continues to elude me."

"The clever thief managed to elude the police by disappearing into the crowded marketplace."

a quick and unexpected downfall

"The product launch was a complete fiasco."

"The product launch turned into a complete fiasco when the website crashed within the first minute."

to experience confusion, indecision, or difficulty in finding a solution

"I flounder with this."

"The novice programmer began to flounder when faced with complex debugging tasks."

a situation that is disturbing because it causes difficulty or problems

"Dealing with bureaucracy is a hassle."

"Dealing with the airline after they lost her luggage was a major hassle that took weeks to resolve."

(of a system, organization, etc.) to experience a sudden or dramatic failure

"The company will implode."

"Without proper management and financial support, the entire organization was destined to implode."

putting someone or something at a disadvantage

"An inauspicious start."

"The team had an inauspicious start to the season, losing their first three games consecutively."

difficulties caused by something that makes one irritated or uncomfortable

"This caused inconvenience."

"The unexpected road closure caused significant inconvenience to morning commuters."

to fail to be successful or make any progress

"The prisoner languished in jail for years."

"The talented actor continued to languish in obscurity for many years before finally getting his big break in Hollywood."

to fail to achieve a desired outcome

"The plan could miscarry at any point."

"The plan could miscarry if any of the team members fail to complete their assigned tasks on time."

deserving pity due to perceived weakness or sadness

"The puppy looked pathetic."

"The team's pathetic performance in the final match disappointed their fans who had traveled hundreds of miles to watch them play and hopefully win."

unstable or insecure, often causing anxiety

"His position is precarious."

"His position is precarious because he could lose his job if the company decides to downsize."

to not succeed in doing or accomplishing something

"He struck out."

"Despite his best efforts to secure funding, he ultimately struck out on his business venture."

(of a scheme, system, organization, etc.) to begin to fail or fall apart

"The plan will unravel."

"As the investigation proceeded, the intricate conspiracy began to unravel."

(of a relationship, negotiation, etc.) to fail to function properly

"The talks will break down."

"The old car finally broke down on the highway forcing us to call a tow truck for help."

in a way that results in an absolute failure or disaster

"The plan failed fatally."

"The project failed fatally due to poor planning and execution, leading to a complete disaster for the company."

to stay in the thoughts of someone for a long time

"The memory will haunt."

"The tragic events of that day continued to haunt his memories for many years."

to bring about the destruction of a system, organization, etc.

"He will implode the company."

"The corrupt leadership threatened to implode the once-thriving organization from within."