man plans and God laughs
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Things do not always work out as they are planned.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “man plans and God laughs” mean?
Things do not always work out as they are planned.
Is “man plans and God laughs” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.