house of cards
The phrase "house of cards" originates from the delicate construction of playing cards stacked in a pyramidal fashion, symbolizing instability and fragility.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1General
(figurative, idiomatic)A situation or structure that appears strong but is actually fragile and likely to collapse.
Example
- The company's rapid expansion turned out to be a house of cards, collapsing under the slightest financial pressure.
- His argument was a house of cards, falling apart with the first counterpoint.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "house of cards":