up in smoke
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to Rubner, contracts tied to $5 trillion in underlying value will go up in smoke that day, although that figure could fluctuate between now and then.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026
As a consequence, under real-world conditions, current safety measures can go up in smoke.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026
Craig Parkins, 40, from Fishing for Minds, part of Higham Ferrers Riverside Angling Club, in Northamptonshire, said years of work collected inside a storage container had "just gone up in smoke".
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025
My hopes for the accomplishments of Emily Dickinson and Marie Curie — hell, even Gwen Stefani! — quickly went up in smoke.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025
The only fireworks on people’s minds were possible sparks from an outdoor fire that might make the whole dry town go up in smoke.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
