Meaning & use
writing on the wall
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
Clear signs that something bad is going to happen or that something will fail.
Grammar: Usually used with 'the' and often with 'see' or 'be': see the writing on the wall, the writing is on the wall.
Patterns
- see the writing on the wall
- the writing is on the wall
- the writing on the wall for something
When the company lost its biggest client, the writing was on the wall for many employees.
She saw the writing on the wall and started looking for a new job before the layoffs.
The writing is on the wall for the old factory; it will probably close next year.
Common combinations
- see the writing on the wall
- Investors saw the writing on the wall and sold their shares early.
- the writing is on the wall
- The writing is on the wall for the team after five straight losses.
- the writing on the wall for
- The new tax law is the writing on the wall for small businesses.
Synonyms and how they differ
- warning sign
- A warning sign is a more general term for any indication of danger; 'the writing on the wall' suggests a clearer, more final message of coming failure.
- omen
- An omen is often about a future event in a mysterious or superstitious way, while 'the writing on the wall' is usually based on visible evidence.
Commonly confused: writing on the wall or handwriting on the wall?
writing on the wall vs handwriting on the wall
This is a variant of the same phrase, but 'writing on the wall' is the standard modern form. 'Handwriting' alone refers to a person's style of writing.
Practice
What does 'the writing on the wall' mean in this sentence: 'After the third failed product, the writing was on the wall for the startup'?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means there were clear signs of coming failure, so option 0 is correct. Option 1 takes the phrase literally. Option 2 is the opposite of the meaning. Option 3 is unrelated to the idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “writing on the wall”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.