Black hole

/blˈak hˈəʊl/

/blˈæk hˈoʊl/

[noun]

Black hole

[NOUN]

a place in the space with such high gravity that pulls in everything, even light

a project, activity, business, etc. that uses a lot of money or resources without providing any results or profit

What is the origin of the idiom "black hole" and when to use it?

The idiom "black hole" is derived from the astronomical term "black hole," which refers to an extremely dense region in space with such strong gravitational forces that nothing, not even light, can escape from it. In the figurative sense, "black hole" was later used to describe something that consumes vast amounts of resources, such as money, time, or effort, without yielding any productive or beneficial results.

a difficult state or condition that is not easy to escape from

*** an emptiness or void

Examples

1. The expansion plan for the business turned into a black hole, draining financial resources without increasing profits.

2. The Council is the Achilles heel of European democracy, if not the black hole.

3. The new marketing campaign turned out to be a black hole for the company's budget as it didn't attract any new customers.

4. The research project consumed enormous funds but resulted in no significant discoveries, making it a black hole of resources.

Nearby words