Some people have a lot of money. They can buy big houses, nice clothes, and even go on trips. We call them “rich.” There are many ways to talk about people who are rich. Sometimes, we use fun phrases to say it. These special phrases are called idioms.
Idioms don’t always mean what the words say. They have a special meaning that helps us understand better. For example, if someone says, “He’s rolling in dough,” they don’t mean bread dough. They mean the person has a lot of money. In this article, we will learn many idioms that talk about being rich. They help make speaking and writing more fun and interesting.
Idioms for Rich
1. Rolling in dough
Meaning: Very rich
To Provide an Example: My uncle is rolling in dough after selling his company. / She must be rolling in dough with that fancy car.
Alternative Meaning: Has a lot of money / Very wealthy
2. Filthy rich
Meaning: Extremely rich
To Provide an Example: That movie star is filthy rich. / They are filthy rich after winning the lottery.
Alternative Meaning: Super rich / Has more money than needed
3. Made of money
Meaning: Has lots of money
To Provide an Example: Don’t worry about the cost, he’s made of money. / She’s always shopping like she’s made of money.
Alternative Meaning: Can spend freely / Very rich
4. Born with a silver spoon
Meaning: Born into a rich family
To Provide an Example: He never had to work because he was born with a silver spoon. / She was born with a silver spoon and has a big house.
Alternative Meaning: Born into money / Always had plenty
5. Living the high life
Meaning: Enjoying a rich lifestyle
To Provide an Example: They’re living the high life with their pool and trips. / He’s living the high life in that big house.
Alternative Meaning: Living fancy / Rich living
6. Money to burn
Meaning: Has extra money
To Provide an Example: She has money to burn and buys toys every week. / He has money to burn from his business.
Alternative Meaning: Can spend freely / Has more than enough money
7. Loaded
Meaning: Very rich
To Provide an Example: My friend’s dad is loaded. / That singer is loaded with cash.
Alternative Meaning: Full of money / Wealthy
8. Sitting on a gold mine
Meaning: Has something very valuable
To Provide an Example: That land is worth a lot he’s sitting on a gold mine. / She’s sitting on a gold mine with her idea.
Alternative Meaning: Owning something rich / Valuable things
9. Raking in the cash
Meaning: Earning a lot of money
To Provide an Example: His lemonade stand is raking in the cash. / They’re raking in the cash from their store.
Alternative Meaning: Getting rich / Making money fast
10. Cash cow
Meaning: A business that makes lots of money
To Provide an Example: That shop is a cash cow. / Their game app is a real cash cow.
Alternative Meaning: Brings in money / Makes them rich
11. In the money
Meaning: Has a lot of money
To Provide an Example: After her new job, she’s in the money. / They’re in the money with that new car.
Alternative Meaning: Rich now / Money came in
12. Worth a fortune
Meaning: Very valuable
To Provide an Example: That old comic book is worth a fortune. / Their house is worth a fortune.
Alternative Meaning: Very expensive / Big money
13. Money doesn’t grow on trees
Meaning: Money is not easy to get (used by rich and non-rich too)
To Provide an Example: Mom said, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” / I asked for a toy and Dad said money doesn’t grow on trees.
Alternative Meaning: Be careful with money / It’s not endless
14. Big bucks
Meaning: A lot of money
To Provide an Example: He made big bucks selling baseball cards. / She earns big bucks at her job.
Alternative Meaning: Huge amount / Loads of money
15. Gold mine
Meaning: Something very valuable
To Provide an Example: Their recipe book is a gold mine. / That backyard toy idea is a gold mine.
Alternative Meaning: Full of value / Can make someone rich
16. Make a killing
Meaning: Make a lot of money
To Provide an Example: He made a killing selling cookies. / They made a killing at their yard sale.
Alternative Meaning: Big profit / Got rich fast
17. Live like a king
Meaning: Live in great comfort
To Provide an Example: They live like a king in that mansion. / He eats and sleeps like a king.
Alternative Meaning: Very comfortable / Wealthy life
18. Money talks
Meaning: Money gives power
To Provide an Example: He got in first because money talks. / Money talks when buying fancy things.
Alternative Meaning: Rich people get things easily / Money makes things happen
19. High roller
Meaning: A person who spends a lot
To Provide an Example: That man is a high roller at the casino. / She’s a high roller at the mall.
Alternative Meaning: Big spender / Risky with money
20. Deep pockets
Meaning: Lots of money
To Provide an Example: That company has deep pockets. / He has deep pockets from his job.
Alternative Meaning: Very rich / Plenty of cash
21. Have it made
Meaning: All set with comfort and money
To Provide an Example: She has it made with her big house and car. / They have it made after winning the prize.
Alternative Meaning: No money worry / Life is easy
22. Feather one’s nest
Meaning: Save or collect money
To Provide an Example: He’s been feathering his nest since college. / She feathers her nest with every paycheck.
Alternative Meaning: Getting richer / Putting money away
23. Bring home the bacon
Meaning: Earn money for the family
To Provide an Example: Dad brings home the bacon each week. / She brings home the bacon from her job.
Alternative Meaning: Earn money / Help family with money
24. Strike it rich
Meaning: Suddenly get a lot of money
To Provide an Example: He struck it rich with that treasure. / They struck it rich from that business.
Alternative Meaning: Got rich fast / Found something valuable
25. Like money in the bank
Meaning: Very safe or certain to bring money
To Provide an Example: Her plan is like money in the bank. / That idea is like money in the bank.
Alternative Meaning: Sure to succeed / Trusty money
26. Have a nest egg
Meaning: Saved money for later
To Provide an Example: Grandma has a nest egg for her trips. / They have a nest egg for emergencies.
Alternative Meaning: Saved cash / Money for later
27. Fat cat
Meaning: A very rich person
To Provide an Example: That man is a fat cat in business. / The fat cats live in huge houses.
Alternative Meaning: Wealthy person / Big money owner
28. Born rich
Meaning: Born into money
To Provide an Example: She was born rich and never had to worry. / He was born rich like his parents.
Alternative Meaning: Always had money / From a rich family
29. Easy street
Meaning: A life with no money problems
To Provide an Example: They’re on easy street now with all that money. / He moved to easy street after winning.
Alternative Meaning: Comfortable life / No money worry
30. Ride the gravy train
Meaning: Make money with little work
To Provide an Example: He’s riding the gravy train with that fun job. / That game lets her ride the gravy train.
Alternative Meaning: Easy money / No hard work
31. Hand over fist
Meaning: Gaining money quickly
To Provide an Example: They earned money hand over fist from sales. / His videos made money hand over fist.
Alternative Meaning: Money coming in fast / Growing rich
32. Get rich quick
Meaning: Become rich in a short time
To Provide an Example: That plan is to get rich quick. / They want to get rich quick with their game.
Alternative Meaning: Fast riches / Sudden money
33. Cash in
Meaning: Get money from something
To Provide an Example: He cashed in on his old toys. / She cashed in by selling cookies.
Alternative Meaning: Earn money / Turn things into cash
34. Million-dollar smile
Meaning: A bright, lovely smile
To Provide an Example: She has a million-dollar smile. / His million-dollar smile lit up the room.
Alternative Meaning: Special smile / Worth a lot
35. Like hitting the jackpot
Meaning: Winning big
To Provide an Example: Getting that gift was like hitting the jackpot. / That prize felt like hitting the jackpot.
Alternative Meaning: Big win / Lucky and rich
36. Penny for your thoughts (ironic)
Meaning: What are you thinking?
To Provide an Example: He was quiet, so I said, “A penny for your thoughts.” / She looked serious, so I asked.
Alternative Meaning: Curious about ideas / Not really about money
37. Buy the farm (used humorously)
Meaning: Buy something big or costly
To Provide an Example: He bought so many toys, it’s like he bought the farm. / That shopping trip looked like buying the farm.
Alternative Meaning: Spent a lot / Used lots of money
38. Cost a pretty penny
Meaning: Very expensive
To Provide an Example: That dress cost a pretty penny. / Their vacation cost a pretty penny.
Alternative Meaning: High price / Fancy cost
39. Like a gold bar
Meaning: Very valuable
To Provide an Example: That watch is like a gold bar. / Her necklace is like a gold bar.
Alternative Meaning: Worth a lot / Pricey item
40. Flush with cash
Meaning: Has lots of money right now
To Provide an Example: He’s flush with cash after his birthday. / She was flush with cash from her chore money.
Alternative Meaning: Rich now / Holding money
41. No object (money is no object)
Meaning: Doesn’t worry about the price
To Provide an Example: “Pick what you want money is no object,” Dad said. / They picked the best toy because money was no object.
Alternative Meaning: Not worried about cost / Can afford anything
42. Chasing the money
Meaning: Always looking to earn more
To Provide an Example: He’s always chasing the money with new jobs. / They are chasing the money with big plans.
Alternative Meaning: Trying to get rich / Always thinking of money
43. Strike gold
Meaning: Find something very valuable
To Provide an Example: She struck gold at the garage sale. / He struck gold with that old comic.
Alternative Meaning: Got lucky / Found money or value
44. Pay through the nose
Meaning: Pay a lot
To Provide an Example: We paid through the nose for those tickets. / That toy made us pay through the nose.
Alternative Meaning: High price / Overpaid
45. Big spender
Meaning: Someone who buys a lot
To Provide an Example: She’s a big spender at the store. / He’s a big spender on snacks.
Alternative Meaning: Buys freely / Spends easily
46. Drop in the bucket
Meaning: A small amount compared to what’s needed
To Provide an Example: My savings are a drop in the bucket. / That tip was just a drop in the bucket for him.
Alternative Meaning: Tiny money / Not much
47. Rolling in riches
Meaning: Very rich
To Provide an Example: They’re rolling in riches after the contest. / He’s rolling in riches with all that stuff.
Alternative Meaning: Full of money / Rich life
48. Pile of money
Meaning: A lot of money
To Provide an Example: That job gave him a pile of money. / She got a pile of money from the tooth fairy.
Alternative Meaning: Big cash / Lots of dollars
49. Gold digger (caution: used for humorous/teaching only)
Meaning: Likes someone just for their money
To Provide an Example: He said she’s a gold digger because she likes rich boys. / In the movie, the girl was a gold digger.
Alternative Meaning: Chases money / Likes riches
50. Strike it lucky
Meaning: Become rich by chance
To Provide an Example: She struck it lucky at the fair. / He struck it lucky finding that coin.
Alternative Meaning: Got rich by luck / Good fortune
Trials for Success: Idioms for Rich
- After selling his game cards, Ryan was __________.
- Emma is always buying toys like she’s __________.
- Mr. Taylor drives a fancy car because he is __________.
- Lily lives in a big house and has a pool she’s __________.
- They bought a new TV, couch, and table. They must have __________.
- My cousin was __________, so he took us all out for ice cream.
- That store is always full. It’s a real __________.
- After her birthday, Ava was __________ with gift money.
- Grandpa says, “__________,” when I ask for too many things.
- He won a prize and now he’s __________.
- Olivia’s lemonade stand is __________ this summer.
- He was __________ with that cool coin he found.
- Their trip to Disney cost a __________.
- Aunt May always spends a lot. She’s a real __________.
- That toy idea was like __________ it made a lot of money.
Answer Key
- rolling in dough
- made of money
- filthy rich
- living the high life
- money to burn
- loaded
- cash cow
- flush with cash
- money doesn’t grow on trees
- in the money
- raking in the cash
- struck it lucky
- pretty penny
- big spender
- a gold mine
Conclusion
Being rich can mean having lots of money, but we often use fun phrases to talk about it. These phrases are called idioms. They make talking more interesting and easy to understand.
Now that you know some idioms for being rich, try using them when you speak or write. They help make your ideas more fun and clear. Keep learning new words and enjoy sharing what you know.
