When chasing your dreams, idioms for success add powerful color to your words. They paint stories of triumph—like “climb the ladder,” “hit the jackpot,” or “break new ground.” Each phrase feels alive, turning simple sentences into bold declarations. This list will help your language shine, just like success itself.
Best Idioms for Success
1. Hit the jackpot
Meaning: Achieve a major success or an unexpected stroke of good luck.
In a Sentence:
She hit the jackpot with her first business venture.
We hit the jackpot when we found that hidden café.
Other Ways to Say: Strike gold. Win big. Land a windfall.
2. Howling success
Meaning: A resounding and widely recognized success.
In a Sentence:
The event was a howling success, with record attendance.
Her new book became a howling success overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Huge hit. Smash success. Major triumph.
3. In the bag
Meaning: Certain to be won or achieved.
In a Sentence:
With such strong sales, the contract is in the bag.
They knew the trophy was in the bag after the final goal.
Other Ways to Say: Guaranteed. A sure thing. Locked in.
4. With flying colors
Meaning: Complete something exceptionally well or successfully.
In a Sentence:
He passed the exam with flying colors.
The team finished the project with flying colors.
Other Ways to Say: Successfully. Triumphantly. Perfectly.
5. Come out ahead
Meaning: Succeed or gain an advantage in a situation.
In a Sentence:
Despite the risks, she came out ahead in the deal.
We came out ahead after months of hard work.
Other Ways to Say: Win. Gain the upper hand. Prevail.
6. Strike gold
Meaning: Achieve great success or discover something valuable.
In a Sentence:
They struck gold with their innovative product.
He struck gold in the stock market last year.
Other Ways to Say: Hit the jackpot. Find a goldmine. Get lucky.
7. Hit it out of the park
Meaning: Achieve something far beyond expectations.
In a Sentence:
Their new ad campaign hit it out of the park.
She hit it out of the park with her performance.
Other Ways to Say: Knock it out of the park. Exceed expectations. Nail it.
8. Win hands down
Meaning: Win easily or decisively.
In a Sentence:
They won the match hands down.
She won hands down in the competition.
Other Ways to Say: Triumph easily. Defeat soundly. Sweep the field.
9. Take the cake
Meaning: Be the most outstanding or remarkable (good or bad).
In a Sentence:
His creativity really takes the cake.
That excuse takes the cake for being unbelievable.
Other Ways to Say: Be the best. Stand out. Top the list.
10. Seal the deal
Meaning: Successfully finalize an agreement or achievement.
In a Sentence:
We sealed the deal after weeks of negotiation.
The handshake sealed the deal.
Other Ways to Say: Close the deal. Finalize. Confirm.
11. Go the extra mile
Meaning: Put in more effort than is expected to achieve success.
In a Sentence:
She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
We went the extra mile to make the event perfect.
Other Ways to Say: Exceed expectations. Go above and beyond. Put in extra effort.
12. Blood, sweat, and tears
Meaning: Intense effort and sacrifice to achieve a goal.
In a Sentence:
The victory was earned through blood, sweat, and tears.
It took blood, sweat, and tears to build the company.
Other Ways to Say: Hard struggle. Grueling effort. Tireless work.
13. Rise to the occasion
Meaning: Perform exceptionally well in a challenging situation.
In a Sentence:
He rose to the occasion and saved the team.
She always rises to the occasion under pressure.
Other Ways to Say: Step up. Deliver. Meet the challenge.
14. Climb the ladder
Meaning: Progress step by step toward success, especially in a career.
In a Sentence:
He’s climbing the ladder at the law firm.
She climbed the ladder from intern to manager.
Other Ways to Say: Advance. Move up. Progress.
15. Bear fruit
Meaning: Produce successful results after effort.
In a Sentence:
Their hard work finally bore fruit.
The strategy is starting to bear fruit now.
Other Ways to Say: Pay off. Show results. Succeed.
Related Post: 50 Common Idioms for Hope and Positivity
16. Put your heart and soul into it
Meaning: Dedicate your full passion and energy to achieving something.
In a Sentence:
She put her heart and soul into the project.
They put their heart and soul into the performance.
Other Ways to Say: Give it your all. Fully commit. Pour everything into it.
17. Roll up your sleeves
Meaning: Get ready to work hard.
In a Sentence:
It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get started.
He rolled up his sleeves and tackled the problem.
Other Ways to Say: Get to work. Dive in. Get hands-on.
18. Give it your all
Meaning: Make your maximum effort to succeed.
In a Sentence:
She gave it her all during the race.
We gave it our all and won the contract.
Other Ways to Say: Try your best. Go all in. Leave nothing behind.
19. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night to complete a task.
In a Sentence:
He burned the midnight oil to meet the deadline.
They burned the midnight oil preparing for exams.
Other Ways to Say: Stay up working. Work late. Pull an all-nighter.
20. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: Make every possible effort to achieve something.
In a Sentence:
We left no stone unturned in our search for answers.
She left no stone unturned to find the perfect venue.
Other Ways to Say: Explore all options. Try everything. Be thorough.
21. Hit the ground running
Meaning: Start a task or project with high energy and efficiency.
In a Sentence:
She hit the ground running on her first day at work.
The team hit the ground running after the holiday break.
Other Ways to Say: Start strong. Get off to a fast start. Jump in.
22. Get the green light
Meaning: Receive permission or approval to proceed.
In a Sentence:
We got the green light to launch the new product.
He’s waiting to get the green light from his boss.
Other Ways to Say: Get approval. Be cleared. Receive the go-ahead.
23. The sky’s the limit
Meaning: There are no limits to what can be achieved.
In a Sentence:
With her talent, the sky’s the limit.
Once the project is funded, the sky’s the limit.
Other Ways to Say: No limits. Boundless. Endless possibilities.
24. Key to success
Meaning: The crucial factor that leads to success.
In a Sentence:
Hard work is the key to success.
The key to success is staying focused.
Other Ways to Say: Secret to Success. Winning formula. Essential factor.
25. Open doors
Meaning: Create new opportunities for success.
In a Sentence:
Learning a new language can open doors in your career.
Her internship opened doors to bigger opportunities.
Other Ways to Say: Create opportunities. Build pathways. Unlock chances.
26. Break new ground
Meaning: Innovate or start something new and significant.
In a Sentence:
The company broke new ground with its latest invention.
She’s breaking new ground in medical research.
Other Ways to Say: Pioneer. Innovate. Blaze a trail.
27. Get a head start
Meaning: Begin early to gain an advantage.
In a Sentence:
We got a head start on the competition by launching early.
She likes to get a head start on her assignments.
Other Ways to Say: Begin early. Gain a lead. Be ahead.
28. Pave the way
Meaning: Make progress easier for others who follow.
In a Sentence:
His research paved the way for future discoveries.
Their hard work paved the way for our success.
Other Ways to Say: Set the stage. Prepare the path. Lay the groundwork.
29. Seize the day
Meaning: Take full advantage of present opportunities.
In a Sentence:
She decided to seize the day and start her business.
Let’s seize the day and enjoy this moment.
Other Ways to Say: Carpe diem. Make the most of it. Take the chance.
30. Strike while the iron is hot
Meaning: Act quickly when the best opportunity arises.
In a Sentence:
We should strike while the iron is hot and invest now.
He struck while the iron was hot and got the deal.
Other Ways to Say: Act fast. Jump on the chance. Move quickly.
31. On top of the world
Meaning: Feel extremely successful, happy, and unbeatable.
In a Sentence:
She felt on top of the world after winning the award.
We were on top of the world when the project succeeded.
Other Ways to Say: Ecstatic. Over the moon. Walking on air.
32. In the driver’s seat
Meaning: Be in full control of a situation or decision.
In a Sentence:
He’s now in the driver’s seat of the company.
She fell in the driver’s seat during the negotiations.
Other Ways to Say: Take charge. Be in control. Lead.
33. Have the world at your feet
Meaning: Achieve great success with many opportunities ahead.
In a Sentence:
After the promotion, he had the world at his feet.
With her talent, she has the world at her feet.
Other Ways to Say: On top. In high demand. Unstoppable.
34. Rags to riches
Meaning: Rise from poverty to great success and wealth.
In a Sentence:
His story is a true rags-to-riches tale.
They went from rags to riches in just five years.
Other Ways to Say: Self-made success. Rise up. From poor to powerful.
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Light That Express Hope and Joy
35. Call the shots
Meaning: Be the person who makes the key decisions.
In a Sentence:
She calls the shots in the marketing department.
He’s used to calling the shots at work.
Other Ways to Say: Be in charge. Run the show. Make the decisions.
36. Hold all the cards
Meaning: Be in a strong, advantageous position.
In a Sentence:
During the talks, they held all the cards.
She holds all the cards in this negotiation.
Other Ways to Say: Have the upper hand. Be in control. Be in power.
37. Be at the top of your game
Meaning: Perform at your best level of ability.
In a Sentence:
She’s at the top of her game this season.
The team was at the top of its game during the finals.
Other Ways to Say: Peak performance. On fire. Unstoppable.
38. Wear the crown
Meaning: Be recognized as the leader or best in a field.
In a Sentence:
He wears the crown in the tech industry.
She’s wearing the crown after her recent victories.
Other Ways to Say: Be the leader. Rule. Reign supreme.
39. Rule the roost
Meaning: Be in charge of the dominant force in a group or place.
In a Sentence:
She rules the roost at home.
That company rules the roost in its sector.
Other Ways to Say: Lead. Dominate. Be the boss.
40. Have it made
Meaning: Achieve a secure and successful position.
In a Sentence:
With that contract, he’s got it made.
They have it made after years of hard work.
Other Ways to Say: Be set. Live comfortably. Be secure.
41. Make a comeback
Meaning: Return to success after a period of decline or failure.
In a Sentence:
The singer made a huge comeback with her latest album.
After the injury, he made a remarkable comeback.
Other Ways to Say: Return to Glory. Bounce back. Regain success.
42. Make the cut
Meaning: Meet the required standard to succeed or be selected.
In a Sentence:
She made the cut for the national team.
His design didn’t cut through the competition.
Other Ways to Say: Qualify. Get selected. Pass the test.
43. Reach for the stars
Meaning: Set very high goals and strive to achieve them.
In a Sentence:
She’s always encouraged to reach for the stars.
They’re reaching for the stars with their new project.
Other Ways to Say: Dream big. Aim high. Go for it.
44. Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: Achieve two goals with a single action.
In a Sentence:
We killed two birds with one stone by meeting and closing the deal.
By studying on the train, he killed two birds with one stone.
Other Ways to Say: Accomplish two things. Be efficient. Double win.
45. Make a killing
Meaning: Earn a large profit or achieve big financial success.
In a Sentence:
They made a killing selling rare sneakers.
She made a killing in the stock market.
Other Ways to Say: Cash in. Score big. Profit hugely.
46. Bounce back
Meaning: Recover quickly from difficulties or failure.
In a Sentence:
She bounced back after her business setback.
The team bounced back in the second half.
Other Ways to Say: Recover. Get back up. Regain strength.
47. Turn the tables
Meaning: Reverse a situation to gain an advantage.
In a Sentence:
They turned the tables and won the match.
He turned the tables on his critics with a strong response.
Other Ways to Say: Reverse fortunes. Flip the script. Gain the upper hand.
48. Rise from the ashes
Meaning: Achieve success again after destruction or failure.
In a Sentence:
The city rose from the ashes after the disaster.
She rose from the ashes of her failed startup.
Other Ways to Say: Rebuild. Regenerate. Start anew.
49. Achievement test
Meaning: A challenge or test that proves ability and success.
In a Sentence:
Passing the bar exam is the ultimate achievement test.
The final project was an achievement test for the students.
Other Ways to Say: Proving Ground. Skill test. Performance challenge.
50. Come up trumps
Meaning: Achieve unexpected success or deliver great results.
In a Sentence:
She came up trumps with a brilliant solution.
The team came up trumps in the final seconds.
Other Ways to Say: Deliver. Succeed. Pull through.
Exercise to practice
- She worked hard and finally __________ with her dream job.
- After months of preparation, they __________ in the competition.
- His new business idea really __________ and brought in profits.
- Despite challenges, she always manages to __________.
- Their dedication helped them __________ and secure victory.
- We need to __________ if we want to catch up with competitors.
- He __________ by turning the failing company around.
- The company __________ after launching its new product.
- She __________ and impressed everyone at the conference.
- They __________ when they landed that big contract.
Answers
- came up trumps
- came out ahead
- made a killing
- bounce back
- hit it out of the park
- go the extra mile
- turned the tables
- rose from the ashes
- passed with flying colors
- sealed the deal
Conclusion
The journey to your goals feels clearer with idioms for success lighting the way. They capture moments of victory—each phrase like a trophy on your shelf of words. Pick one that stands out and use it today to inspire someone around you. Drop a comment to share how you’d make it part of your story!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
