Throw a monkey wrench in the works
Meaning
To intentionally disrupt or sabotage a plan, project, or process.
Origin
The phrase evokes a vivid image from the mechanical world, where a 'monkey wrench' — a type of adjustable wrench — is literally thrown into the intricate gears and mechanisms of a machine, referred to as 'the works.' Such an act would immediately seize up the machinery, bringing operations to a jarring halt or causing significant damage. Originating in the early 20th century, particularly in American English, this industrial metaphor quickly became a powerful idiom for any deliberate or accidental disruption that derails a plan or process, likening it to the catastrophic effect a wrench has on a working machine.
Examples
- The sudden policy change from management completely threw a monkey wrench in the works for our department's upcoming initiatives.
- Just as we were about to finalize the merger, a new regulatory hurdle threw a monkey wrench in the works, delaying the agreement for months.