← Back to collection
Region: General | Usage example: The best-laid plans collapsed when suppliers failed to deliver.

The best-laid plans

Meaning

Even careful plans can fail.

Usage

Used when problems foil organized efforts.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Robert Burns poem "To a Mouse".

Quoted since the 18th century.

Related Idioms

Watch your back

Be careful and stay alert for danger.

Write on the wall

A visible sign that something is about to fail.

Change horses in midstream

Switch plans while a process is still underway

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.