go under financially

Meaning

This expression means to fail financially, go bankrupt, or go out of business. It evokes the image of a ship sinking beneath the water. It can be used to describe companies closing down because they cannot pay their debts, or individuals facing extreme financial ruin.

Examples

• Without a government bailout, the airline would have gone under financially.

  Without a government bailout, the airline would have gone under financially.

• Many small retail shops went under financially during the economic recession.

  Many small retail shops went under financially during the economic recession.

• If we don't secure another round of funding soon, the startup might go under.

  If we don't secure another round of funding soon, the startup might go under.

• He invested all his savings into a restaurant that eventually went under financially.

  He invested all his savings into a restaurant that eventually went under financially.

• The company managed to avoid going under by restructuring its heavy debt.

  The company managed to avoid going under by restructuring its heavy debt.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The local bookstore went below financially last year.

  ✓ The local bookstore went under financially last year.

  The correct idiomatic phrasal verb for bankruptcy/failure is 'go under', not 'go below'.

• ✗ They went under financial last month.

  ✓ They went under financially last month.

  You must use the adverb 'financially' to modify the verb phrase 'go under', rather than the adjective 'financial'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Several competitors ___ during the market crash of 2008.

  💡 failed or went bankrupt

  Show answer

  went under financially

• The strategy was designed to prevent the family business from ___.

  💡 sinking or failing financially

  Show answer

  going under