60 Idioms for Living The Dream

Idioms are fun phrases where the words together mean something totally different from what they say one by one. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful, exciting, and full of life. Today, you are going to learn a bunch of helpful idioms that all have to do with living the dream and enjoying ultimate success and happiness.

In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for living the dream that mean experiencing wonderful success, being completely happy, and enjoying the best life has to offer. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.

Idioms for Living The Dream

1. Living the dream

Meaning: Enjoying a wonderful life where everything is going exactly the way you want.

For Example: When asked how his vacation was going, he smiled and said he was living the dream. / Relaxing by the beach with a good book made her feel like she was living the dream.

Other Ways to Say: Enjoying life / Doing great

2. On top of the world

Meaning: Feeling supreme happiness, success, and complete satisfaction.

For Example: After winning the spelling bee, she felt like she was on top of the world. / Scoring the winning goal put the young soccer player on top of the world.

Other Ways to Say: Supremely happy / Successful

3. Walking on air

Meaning: Experiencing a light, ecstatic feeling of joy because everything is wonderful.

For Example: Receiving the acceptance letter left her walking on air all afternoon. / He felt like he was walking on air after getting his art award.

Other Ways to Say: Ecstatic / Overjoyed

4. Over the moon

Meaning: Being extremely delighted and thrilled about a wonderful situation.

For Example: He was over the moon when his parents surprised him with a puppy. / The little girl was over the moon to receive a gold star in math.

Other Ways to Say: Thrilled / Delighted

5. On cloud nine

Meaning: Experiencing an overwhelming and wonderful feeling of happiness and success.

For Example: When she found out she won the art contest, she felt like she was on cloud nine. / Winning the championship game put the whole team on cloud nine.

Other Ways to Say: Extremely happy / Overjoyed

6. In seventh heaven

Meaning: A state of supreme happiness and satisfaction with life.

For Example: Receiving a brand new box of art supplies put her in seventh heaven. / He was in seventh heaven when allowed to pet the friendly horse.

Other Ways to Say: Supremely happy / Overjoyed

7. Having a whale of a time

Meaning: Enjoying yourself immensely and having a wonderful life experience.

For Example: We went to the amusement park and had a whale of a time on the rides. / The kids were having a whale of a time playing games at the party.

Other Ways to Say: Having fun / Enjoying greatly

8. Sitting pretty

Meaning: Being in a very comfortable, secure, and advantageous position in life.

For Example: With all his chores finished early, he was sitting pretty for the weekend. / Saving his allowance put him sitting pretty for buying a new bike.

Other Ways to Say: In a great spot / Comfortable

9. Land on your feet

Meaning: To successfully recover from a difficult time and end up in a great situation.

For Example: Even though the project started rough, our team managed to land on their feet. / He switched schools and quickly landed on his feet with new friends.

Other Ways to Say: Succeed after trouble / Recover well

10. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth

Meaning: Being born into a wealthy family with an easy, privileged life.

For Example: Fairy tales often feature princes born with a silver spoon in their mouth. / Working hard for what you earn is better than being born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

Other Ways to Say: Very privileged / Wealthy from birth

11. Everything coming up roses

Meaning: A situation where everything is turning out successfully and beautifully.

For Example: After a tricky start to the term, now everything is coming up roses for his grades. / With sunshine and great friends, the picnic had everything coming up roses.

Other Ways to Say: Going great / Successful times

12. Born under a lucky star

Meaning: Having good fortune and success follow you throughout your life.

For Example: Finding a dropped dollar felt like he was born under a lucky star. / Winning the raffle ticket made her feel born under a lucky star.

Other Ways to Say: Very lucky / Fortunate

13. Hit the jackpot

Meaning: To achieve sudden, massive success or find great fortune.

For Example: Finding that rare comic book at the garage sale was like hitting the jackpot. / Getting assigned the best project partner meant we hit the jackpot.

Other Ways to Say: Strike gold / Huge success

14. Strike gold

Meaning: To discover something extremely valuable or achieve wonderful success.

For Example: When he found the lost key in the grass, he felt like he struck gold. / Finding a great study partner meant she struck gold for exams.

Other Ways to Say: Hit jackpot / Great find

15. World is your oyster Meaning: You have endless opportunities to achieve anything you want in life.

Meaning: You have endless opportunities to achieve anything you want in life.

For Example: Graduating middle school means the world is your oyster for future adventures. / With your artistic talent, the world is your oyster.

Other Ways to Say: Endless chances / Full opportunity

16. Life of Riley Meaning: A luxurious, comfortable life free of hard work and worry.

Meaning: A luxurious, comfortable life free of hard work and worry.

For Example: The pampered house cat lived the life of Riley all afternoon in the sun. / Sleeping in late on vacation felt like living the life of Riley.

Other Ways to Say: Easy life / Luxurious living

17. Eat, drink, and be merry Meaning: Enjoying life to the fullest without stressing about worries.

Meaning: Enjoying life to the fullest without stressing about worries.

For Example: During summer camp, the kids loved to eat, drink, and be merry during games. / Festivals are wonderful times to eat, drink, and be merry.

Other Ways to Say: Enjoy life / Celebrate freely

18. Having a ball Meaning: Enjoying a party or event with immense happiness and success.

Meaning: Enjoying a party or event with immense happiness and success.

For Example: The guests were having a ball dancing at the school celebration. / We went ice skating and were having a ball on the ice.

Other Ways to Say: Having fun / Enjoying immensely

19. Walking on sunshine Meaning: Expressing bright, cheerful happiness about a wonderful life.

Meaning: Expressing bright, cheerful happiness about a wonderful life.

For Example: Receiving the good news made her feel like she was walking on sunshine. / With vacation starting tomorrow, we feel like we are walking on sunshine.

Other Ways to Say: Extremely happy / Cheerful

20. In clover Meaning: Living a comfortable, prosperous, and carefree life.

Meaning: Living a comfortable, prosperous, and carefree life.

For Example: After finishing his chores, he sat in the hammock in clover. / Winning the science fair grant meant the lab was in clover.

Other Ways to Say: Prosperous / Living well

21. Smooth sailing Meaning: A period of time where everything goes easily without problems.

Meaning: A period of time where everything goes easily without problems.

For Example: Once we learned the basic rules, building the model was smooth sailing. / The rest of the school term was smooth sailing after finals.

Other Ways to Say: Easy progress / No trouble

22. Clear skies Meaning: A peaceful, trouble-free period of life and weather.

Meaning: A peaceful, trouble-free period of life and weather.

For Example: After the difficult exam week, we finally had clear skies ahead. / The project hit a rough patch, but now it is clear skies.

Other Ways to Say: Peaceful times / Trouble-free

23. Sunny side up Meaning: Maintaining an optimistic, cheerful view of life.

Meaning: Maintaining an optimistic, cheerful view of life.

For Example: Even when it rained, she kept her outlook sunny side up. / Keeping things sunny side up makes chores much more fun.

Other Ways to Say: Stay positive / Optimistic

24. Rosy picture Meaning: A wonderful, positive view of a future situation.

Meaning: A wonderful, positive view of a future situation.

For Example: The coach painted a rosy picture of the team’s upcoming championship game. / Her art career plan looked like a rosy picture.

Other Ways to Say: Positive outlook / Bright future

25. Golden age Meaning: A period of great happiness, success, and achievement.

Meaning: A period of great happiness, success, and achievement.

For Example: Childhood summers often feel like a golden age of freedom. / The school’s sports team entered a golden age of winning trophies.

Other Ways to Say: Best era / Prosperous time

26. Living high on the hog Meaning: Living in a very luxurious and prosperous style.

Meaning: Meaning: Living in a very luxurious and prosperous style.

For Example: Winning the contest made them feel like they were living high on the hog. / Vacation resorts let guests live high on the hog.

Other Ways to Say: Live luxuriously / Prosper

27. Riding high Meaning: Experiencing a successful and popular period in life.

Meaning: Experiencing a successful and popular period in life.

For Example: After scoring three goals, the soccer player was riding high. / Our club project was riding high after winning praise.

Other Ways to Say: Successful / Popular

28. Hitting a home run Meaning: Achieving an enormous, undeniable success in a project.

Meaning: Achieving an enormous, undeniable success in a project.

For Example: Her science fair presentation was like hitting a home run with judges. / Choosing that theme for the party was hitting a home run.

Other Ways to Say: Major success / Great win

29. Winning streak Meaning: A continuous series of successes in games or life.

Meaning: A continuous series of successes in games or life.

For Example: Our basketball team maintained an amazing winning streak all season. / Getting three A grades in a row started a winning streak.

Other Ways to Say: Series of wins / Successful run

30. Fortune smiles upon you Meaning: Having good luck and success come your way naturally.

Meaning: Having good luck and success come your way naturally.

For Example: When he found the missing ticket, it seemed fortune smiles upon him. / Studying hard ensures fortune smiles upon your exam results.

Other Ways to Say: Have good luck / Be fortunate

31. Blessed with success Meaning: Enjoying wonderful achievements and happy circumstances.

Meaning: Enjoying wonderful achievements and happy circumstances.

For Example: The young author felt blessed with success after her book published. / Our garden was blessed with success and grew tall.

Other Ways to Say: Fortunate / Successful

32. Living in clover Meaning: Enjoying a prosperous and comfortable lifestyle.

Meaning: Enjoying a prosperous and comfortable lifestyle.

For Example: After finishing his exams, he spent the evening living in clover. / The pampered pets were living in clover.

Other Ways to Say: Comfortable life / Prosperous living

33. On a roll Meaning: Experiencing a continuous period of success and good luck.

Meaning: Experiencing a continuous period of success and good luck.

For Example: He solved three math puzzles in a row, proving he was on a roll. / Our team won two games and felt like they were on a roll.

Other Ways to Say: Winning streak / Doing great

34. Bright future Meaning: Having wonderful opportunities and success ahead of you.

Meaning: Having wonderful opportunities and success ahead of you.

For Example: Graduating with honors meant she had a bright future in science. / The talented young artist has a bright future.

Other Ways to Say: Promising life / Great prospects

35. Star is born Meaning: A new person suddenly achieving fame and success.

Meaning: A new person suddenly achieving fame and success.

For Example: When the young singer hit every note, it felt like a star is born. / Her brilliant art debut made everyone feel a star is born.

Other Ways to Say: Sudden talent / New success

36. Sweet success Meaning: The wonderful feeling of achieving a hard-earned goal.

Meaning: The wonderful feeling of achieving a hard-earned goal.

For Example: Winning the trophy after months of practice brought sweet success. / Passing the difficult exam tasted like sweet success.

Other Ways to Say: Satisfying victory / Achieved goal

37. Living the good life Meaning: Enjoying comfort, happiness, and relaxation.

Meaning: Enjoying comfort, happiness, and relaxation.

For Example: Relaxing in the backyard hammock is living the good life. / Eating ice cream on a sunny afternoon is living the good life.

Other Ways to Say: Enjoying comfort / Happy living

38. Born under a lucky planet Meaning: Enjoying continuous good fortune and smooth experiences.

Meaning: Enjoying continuous good fortune and smooth experiences.

For Example: Finding a front-row parking spot made him feel born under a lucky planet. / She always seemed born under a lucky planet during games.

Other Ways to Say: Fortunate / Lucky

39. Smooth sailing ahead Meaning: Expecting an easy and successful future path.

Meaning: Expecting an easy and successful future path.

For Example: With finals finished, we had smooth sailing ahead for summer. / Once the project plan was approved, it was smooth sailing ahead.

Other Ways to Say: Easy future / Trouble-free path

40. Basking in glory Meaning: Enjoying the wonderful success and praise of an achievement.

Meaning: Enjoying the wonderful success and praise of an achievement.

For Example: After winning the trophy, the team spent the afternoon basking in glory. / She was basking in glory after her painting won an award.

Other Ways to Say: Enjoy success / Celebrate victory

41. Touching the sky Meaning: Feeling an incredible sense of soaring success and joy.

Meaning: Feeling an incredible sense of soaring success and joy.

For Example: Passing his pilot exam made him feel like he was touching the sky. / Winning the science fair felt like touching the sky.

Other Ways to Say: Soaring high / Ultimate joy

42. Reaching the pinnacle Meaning: Achieving the highest possible level of success in a field.

Meaning: Achieving the highest possible level of success in a field.

For Example: Climbing to the mountain summit felt like reaching the pinnacle. / Winning the gold medal meant reaching the pinnacle of sport.

Other Ways to Say: Peak success / Reaching top

43. Wearing the crown Meaning: Being the undisputed champion or most successful person.

Meaning: Being the undisputed champion or most successful person.

For Example: After winning the spelling bee, she was proudly wearing the crown. / The champion team spent the evening wearing the crown.

Other Ways to Say: Be champion / Lead success

44. Sitting on top of the world Meaning: Experiencing supreme happiness and unmatched success.

Meaning: Experiencing supreme happiness and unmatched success.

For Example: Passing his driver test made him feel like he was sitting on top of the world. / Winning the art contest put her sitting on top of the world.

Other Ways to Say: Supremely happy / Successful

45. Having the world at your feet Meaning: Having total success and endless opportunities available.

Meaning: Having total success and endless opportunities available.

For Example: Graduating top of his class meant having the world at his feet. / With her musical talent, she had the world at her feet.

Other Ways to Say: Total success / Endless potential

46. Making a killing Meaning: Making a massive profit or achieving sudden great success.

Meaning: Making a massive profit or achieving sudden great success.

For Example: The school bake sale was making a killing for charity. / Selling his handmade crafts felt like making a killing.

Other Ways to Say: Huge profit / Great success

47. Hitting the motherlode Meaning: Discovering a massive source of success or fortune.

Meaning: Discovering a massive source of success or fortune.

For Example: Finding that box of vintage comic books was hitting the motherlode. / Researching at the library felt like hitting the motherlode for facts.

Other Ways to Say: Great find / Huge success

48. Striking it rich Meaning: Achieving sudden wealth, success, or happiness.

Meaning: Achieving sudden wealth, success, or happiness.

For Example: Finding a rare baseball card felt like striking it rich. / Winning the contest made her feel like she was striking it rich.

Other Ways to Say: Achieve wealth / Great success

49. Born lucky Meaning: Naturally experiencing good fortune in life events.

Meaning: Naturally experiencing good fortune in life events.

For Example: Winning two raffle tickets in a row made him feel born lucky. / She always guessed trivia answers correctly, feeling born lucky.

Other Ways to Say: Fortunate / Lucky

50. Paved with gold Meaning: A future imagined as entirely wealthy and successful.

Meaning: A future imagined as entirely wealthy and successful.

For Example: He imagined his future career in science was paved with gold. / Stories often talk about streets paved with gold in big cities.

Other Ways to Say: Wealthy future / Prosperous path

51. Sun is always shining Meaning: A metaphor for a consistently happy and lucky life.

Meaning: A metaphor for a consistently happy and lucky life.

For Example: With great friends and fun hobbies, his life felt like the sun is always shining. / Vacation weeks feel like the sun is always shining.

Other Ways to Say: Happy life / Constant joy

52. Living large Meaning: Enjoying an extravagant, successful, and fun lifestyle.

Meaning: Enjoying an extravagant, successful, and fun lifestyle.

For Example: Ordering extra pizza and ice cream felt like living large. / Celebrating the victory meant the team was living large.

Other Ways to Say: Live big / Enjoy luxury

53. Having it made Meaning: Having secure success and a comfortable future guaranteed.

Meaning: Having secure success and a comfortable future guaranteed.

For Example: Once he secured the scholarship, he felt like he had it made. / Finding a great job made him feel like he had it made.

Other Ways to Say: Secure success / Comfortable future

54. On the sunny side Meaning: Living in a cheerful, positive, and happy environment.

Meaning: Living in a cheerful, positive, and happy environment.

For Example: Keeping her desk organized kept her studies on the sunny side. / Spending time outdoors keeps your mood on the sunny side.

Other Ways to Say: Cheerful / Positive

55. Blooming success Meaning: Thriving and growing wonderfully in your endeavors.

Meaning: Thriving and growing wonderfully in your endeavors.

For Example: Her artwork showed a blooming success during the school gallery show. / The community garden was a blooming success.

Other Ways to Say: Thriving / Growing well

56. Flying high Meaning: Experiencing great success, popularity, and happiness.

Meaning: Experiencing great success, popularity, and happiness.

For Example: After winning the science fair, she was flying high all week. / The basketball team was flying high after three victories.

Other Ways to Say: Successful / Thriving

57. Thriving Meaning: Growing and developing successfully and healthily.

Meaning: Growing and developing successfully and healthily.

For Example: The puppy was thriving in its new loving home. / Plants left in the sunlight keep thriving.

Other Ways to Say: Prospering / Flourishing

58. Flourishing Meaning: Developing rapidly and successfully with great health.

Meaning: Developing rapidly and successfully with great health.

For Example: The school art club was flourishing with new creative members. / Her music skills were flourishing with daily practice.

Other Ways to Say: Thriving / Prospering

59. Prospering Meaning: Succeeding financially and living a comfortable life.

Meaning: Succeeding financially and living a comfortable life.

For Example: The local bookstore was prospering thanks to avid readers. / His small business kept prospering year after year.

Other Ways to Say: Thriving / Succeeding

60. Pure bliss Meaning: Complete, uninterrupted happiness and success.

Meaning: Complete, uninterrupted happiness and success.

For Example: Reading a favorite book on a sunny afternoon was pure bliss. / Relaxing on the sandy beach felt like pure bliss.

Other Ways to Say: Total happiness / Absolute peace

Exercise to Practice

1. When asked how his vacation was going, he smiled and said he was living the ________.
2. After winning the spelling bee, she felt like she was on top of the ________.
3. Receiving the acceptance letter left her walking on ________ all afternoon.
4. He was over the ________ when his parents surprised him with a new puppy.
5. When she found out she won the art contest, she felt like she was on cloud ________.
6. Receiving a brand new box of art supplies put her in seventh ________.
7. We went to the amusement park and had a whale of a ________ on the rides.
8. With all his chores finished early, he was sitting ________ for the weekend.
9. Even though the project started rough, our team managed to land on their ________.
10. Fairy tales often feature princes born with a silver ________ in their mouth.
11. After a tricky start to the term, now everything is coming up ________ for his grades.
12. Finding a dropped dollar felt like he was born under a lucky ________.
13. Finding that rare comic book at the garage sale was like hitting the ________.
14. When he found the lost key in the grass, he felt like he struck ________.
15. Graduating middle school means the world is your ________ for future adventures.

Answer Key

1. dream
2. world
3. air
4. moon
5. nine
6. heaven
7. time
8. pretty
9. feet
10. spoon
11. roses
12. star
13. jackpot
14. gold
15. oyster

Conclusion

Learning idioms for living the dream helps you understand stories, success stories, and joyful expressions much better. When you know what these colorful phrases mean, you can use them to describe great achievements and happiness in your own writing.

Try using a few of these expressions the next time you celebrate a wonderful success or fun day. Practicing them out loud is a great way to remember them and make your communication sound awesome.