C2idiomformaldecisionsIELTS-friendly
a fait accompli
USUK
something already decided or done that others must now accept
French, pronounced /ˌfeɪt əˈkɒmpliː/. Often critical: someone decided without asking others.
In context
Staff were not consulted; the office move was presented as a fait accompli.
By the time we heard about the merger, it was a fait accompli.
More idioms about decisions
- a Catch-22a situation you can't escape because each solution depends on the other
- a change of hearta change in your opinion or plan, usually towards a kinder or different view
- a double-edged swordsomething that has both good and bad effects
- a foregone conclusiona result that is certain before it happens
- a judgement calla decision that depends on your own opinion because there is no clear rule