Idioms are powerful tools that add flavor to language. They often use playful or unusual wording to express common thoughts in creative ways. When it comes to describing something or someone as “the best,” idioms help paint a more vivid picture. Whether you’re praising a friend, a meal, or a moment, using the right idiom makes your message stronger and more memorable.
In this article, we’ll explore 40 idioms that all mean something great—something that stands out as the best. You’ll find easy meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to say each phrase. These idioms are fun, useful, and perfect for school, writing, or everyday conversations. Let’s jump in and learn how to sound like a pro while talking about the best!
Idioms for Best
1. Cream of the crop
Meaning: The very best of a group.
In a Sentence: Her science project was the cream of the crop.
Other Ways to Say: Top pick, Best choice
2. Top of the line
Meaning: The highest quality available.
In a Sentence: This laptop is top of the line and worth every penny.
Other Ways to Say: Premium, High-end
3. Second to none
Meaning: Better than everything else.
In a Sentence: His painting skills are second to none in the class.
Other Ways to Say: Unmatched, The very best
4. A cut above
Meaning: Better than others in quality.
In a Sentence: This bakery’s bread is a cut above the rest.
Other Ways to Say: Superior, A step ahead
5. Head and shoulders above
Meaning: Far better than others.
In a Sentence: She is head and shoulders above the other dancers.
Other Ways to Say: Clearly better, Outstanding
6. The bee’s knees
Meaning: Excellent or outstanding.
In a Sentence: That new song is the bee’s knees!
Other Ways to Say: Fantastic, Amazing
7. The cat’s meow
Meaning: Something or someone that is especially cool or stylish.
In a Sentence: Your new jacket is the cat’s meow.
Other Ways to Say: Super cool, Trendy
8. The gold standard
Meaning: The best example of something.
In a Sentence: This restaurant sets the gold standard for customer service.
Other Ways to Say: Model example, Benchmark
9. World-class
Meaning: Among the best in the world.
In a Sentence: That swimmer gave a world-class performance.
Other Ways to Say: Elite, Exceptional
10. In a league of its own
Meaning: So good that it’s unmatched.
In a Sentence: Her voice is in a league of its own.
Other Ways to Say: Unique, Truly special
11. Best of both worlds
Meaning: Enjoying two good things at the same time.
In a Sentence: Working from home gives me the best of both worlds—comfort and productivity.
Other Ways to Say: Ideal mix, Perfect balance
12. Standout
Meaning: Clearly better or more impressive than others.
In a Sentence: His performance was a true standout in the show.
Other Ways to Say: Highlight, Star
13. Blue-ribbon
Meaning: First prize or best quality.
In a Sentence: That apple pie won a blue-ribbon award at the fair.
Other Ways to Say: Award-winning, Top-rated
14. Five-star
Meaning: Of the highest quality or rating.
In a Sentence: We stayed at a five-star hotel on our vacation.
Other Ways to Say: Luxury, Top-rated
15. Best thing since sliced bread
Meaning: A great new invention or idea.
In a Sentence: This phone app is the best thing since sliced bread.
Other Ways to Say: Awesome innovation, Game changer
16. Knock it out of the park
Meaning: To do something extremely well.
In a Sentence: She knocked it out of the park on her final exam.
Other Ways to Say: Nailed it, Smashed it
17. Hit a home run
Meaning: To succeed greatly.
In a Sentence: His idea for the fundraiser really hit a home run.
Other Ways to Say: Big win, Major success
18. Home run hitter
Meaning: Someone who consistently performs at a high level.
In a Sentence: As a designer, she’s a home run hitter—always impressive.
Other Ways to Say: Top performer, Reliable star
19. Star of the show
Meaning: The most outstanding person or thing.
In a Sentence: The puppy was the star of the show at the pet contest.
Other Ways to Say: Main attraction, Center of attention
20. One in a million
Meaning: Very rare and special.
In a Sentence: Her kindness makes her one in a million.
Other Ways to Say: Unique, Truly rare
21. A+ effort
Meaning: An excellent attempt or performance.
In a Sentence: You gave an A+ effort on that science experiment.
Other Ways to Say: Top-notch, Excellent try
22. Above and beyond
Meaning: Doing more than what’s expected.
In a Sentence: She went above and beyond to help organize the school event.
Other Ways to Say: Extra mile, Exceeded expectations
23. Picture perfect
Meaning: Absolutely flawless.
In a Sentence: Their wedding was picture perfect.
Other Ways to Say: Flawless, Spot-on
24. At the top of your game
Meaning: Performing at your best level.
In a Sentence: He’s really at the top of his game this semester.
Other Ways to Say: In peak form, On fire
25. Make the grade
Meaning: To meet or exceed standards.
In a Sentence: She made the grade with her project on climate change.
Other Ways to Say: Qualify, Succeed
26. Raise the bar
Meaning: To set a higher standard.
In a Sentence: Her artwork really raised the bar for everyone else.
Other Ways to Say: Set the standard, Increase expectations
27. Best in class
Meaning: The top performer in a category.
In a Sentence: That model is the best in class for fuel efficiency.
Other Ways to Say: Leading option, Front-runner
28. Diamond in the rough
Meaning: Someone or something with great potential but not polished yet.
In a Sentence: He’s a diamond in the rough when it comes to acting.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden gem, Undiscovered talent
29. Rock star
Meaning: Someone who is highly skilled or admired.
In a Sentence: You’re a rock star for fixing that coding bug!
Other Ways to Say: Superstar, All-star
30. Big league
Meaning: Operating at a high or professional level.
In a Sentence: She finally made it to the big league of design.
Other Ways to Say: Major level, Top tier
31. Gold medal performance
Meaning: The absolute best effort or result.
In a Sentence: Her speech was a gold medal performance.
Other Ways to Say: Top performance, Best result
32. Out of this world
Meaning: Exceptionally good.
In a Sentence: That chocolate cake was out of this world!
Other Ways to Say: Amazing, Incredible
33. Like no other
Meaning: Unique and unmatched.
In a Sentence: Her creativity is like no other.
Other Ways to Say: One of a kind, Truly special
34. Set the tone
Meaning: To create the standard for others to follow.
In a Sentence: His leadership set the tone for the whole team.
Other Ways to Say: Lead the way, Set an example
35. The real deal
Meaning: Genuine and the best.
In a Sentence: That violinist is the real deal.
Other Ways to Say: Authentic, Truly skilled
36. Number one
Meaning: The top rank or best position.
In a Sentence: She’s number one in the spelling competition.
Other Ways to Say: First place, Leader
37. Best foot forward
Meaning: To show your best effort.
In a Sentence: He put his best foot forward in the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Try your hardest, Make a good impression
38. Talk of the town
Meaning: Something or someone that everyone is praising.
In a Sentence: Their art display is the talk of the town.
Other Ways to Say: Everyone’s favorite, Big hit
39. Showstopper
Meaning: Something that grabs all the attention.
In a Sentence: Her dress was a total showstopper.
Other Ways to Say: Eye-catcher, Attention-grabber
40. On point
Meaning: Exactly right or perfectly done.
In a Sentence: That presentation was on point from start to finish.
Other Ways to Say: Spot-on, Perfect
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- Her cake recipe was the __________ of the crop at the fair.
- That movie was **__________ of this world!
- He put his best __________ forward during the interview.
- The new phone is the **__________ thing since sliced bread.
- Their project raised the __________ for future students.
- This car is **__________ of the line in terms of design.
- That singer is truly in a **__________ of her own.
- She got an A+ because her paper was **__________ perfect.
- The class president is always a total **__________ star.
- This dessert is the **__________’ knees—so good!
- We hit a home **__________ with our business pitch.
- His creativity is like **__________ other.
Answers:
cream, out, foot, best, bar, top, league, picture, rock, bee, run, no
Conclusion
Idioms are not only fun to say—they’re powerful expressions that bring excitement to your conversations and writing. These 40 idioms for “best” can help you sound more confident, creative, and clear when you want to describe something truly amazing.
Try using them in everyday speech, school assignments, or when complimenting a friend. With time, these phrases will become second nature, adding a fresh sparkle to the way you communicate. Remember, the best communicators don’t just know words—they know how to make them shine.
Keep exploring, keep practicing, and keep putting your best foot forward!
