ˈɡoʊl.dən ˌɒp.ərˈtjuː.nɪ.ti
Colors
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- an opportunity made of gold
What does "golden opportunity" mean?
- an excellent or ideal chance that may not come again
- a rare and highly favorable opportunity
Examples
- This internship at Google is a golden opportunity — don't let it slip away.
- She recognized the golden opportunity and invested early in the startup.
- Missing that scholarship was like throwing away a golden opportunity.
Origin
Gold has symbolized value and perfection since ancient times. The phrase became common in English by the 17th century.
How to use it
Used to emphasize that an opportunity is exceptionally good and should not be wasted.
Similar expressions
once-in-a-lifetime chance
prime opportunity
perfect opening
Opposites
dead end
missed chance
Related idioms
- black and white
clearly defined with no ambiguity
- silver lining
a positive aspect of an otherwise bad situation
- grey area
a situation or topic that is unclear or not well-defined
- give the green light
to give permission or approval to proceed
- black sheep
a member of a group who is considered different or disreputable
- white lie
a harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone's feelings
Use it in a practice answer
Try "golden opportunity" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.