How do you say “Leave someone high and dry” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is laisser quelqu'un en plan, which literally means “to leave someone stranded”. English speakers use leave someone high and dry to mean to leave someone without the help or resources they need in a difficult situation. A close everyday match, especially for an arrangement that falls through. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
laisser quelqu'un en plan
/lese kɛlkœ̃ ɑ̃ plɑ̃/
- Literal meaning
- “to leave someone stranded”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“Laisser en plan” fits an arrangement that falls through: a driver doesn't arrive, or a colleague leaves before the work is done. The person left behind has to cope.
“Laisser tomber” is broader and can also mean giving up on an idea. “Laisser quelqu'un se débrouiller seul” simply says they were left to manage alone.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
laisser tomber quelqu'un
Literally: “to let someone fall”
Common for abandoning or letting someone down.
laisser quelqu'un se débrouiller seul
Literally: “to leave someone to manage alone”
A direct description that can be less accusatory.
In context
English
The caterer left us high and dry on the morning of the wedding.
French
Le traiteur nous a laissés en plan le matin du mariage.
English
Don't leave me high and dry with all these boxes.
French
Ne me laisse pas me débrouiller seul avec tous ces cartons.
Related expressions
- What “Leave someone high and dry” means in English
- Throw someone under the bus, Blame or betray someone to protect yourself.
- In the same boat, Facing the same difficult situation
Last updated 2026-09-16