Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
The best of both worlds
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "The best of both worlds" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourDecisions & Perspectives collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
The best of both worlds
A situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two completely different opportunities at the same time, without having to choose between them.
History & Origin
While the concept of balancing secular and spiritual life traces back to 18th-century religious texts, the modern secular usage of the idiom gained popularity in the mid-20th century. It originally referred to the ultimate human desire to enjoy the physical pleasures of Earth while simultaneously securing a place in the spiritual afterlife. Over time, it evolved into a common cultural expression used to describe any situation that successfully combines two distinct benefits.
Examples
By transitioning to a hybrid schedule, our team gets the best of both worlds: the collaboration of in-office days and the focus time of remote work.
Living just outside the city gives us the best of both worlds because we have a quiet backyard but can still drive to downtown restaurants in ten minutes.
The newly developed hybrid engine offers the best of both worlds, combining the high fuel efficiency of electric power with the long-range capability of traditional combustion.
The smartphone manufacturer claims its latest folding device gives consumers the best of both worlds: the portability of a compact phone and the screen size of a tablet.
Our community college provides students with the best of both worlds by offering rigorous academic courses alongside hands-on, practical career training.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. Sarah had to choose between a high salary and a short commute, so she ended up with the best of both worlds.
B. Working four days a week allows Mark to progress in his career while spending more time with his kids, truly giving him the best of both worlds.
C. The stormy weather ruined our beach vacation, which was definitely the best of both worlds for our family.
D. The company suffered from the best of both worlds when they lost their top client and their office lease expired in the same week.