to go up in smoke: 没有结果，化为乌有，成为泡影

1,if a plan or some work goes up in smoke, it is spoiled or wasted

Then his business went bankrupt and 20 years of hard work went up in smoke.
他的经营破产了，20年来的努力化为乌有。

2,to be wasted.

The research project was canceled, and five years of hard work went up in smoke.
调研项目被取消了，白白浪费了五年努力。