læf ɔːl ðə weɪ tuː ðə bæŋk
Money & Finance
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- To laugh while traveling to a banking institution
What does "laugh all the way to the bank" mean?
- To make a lot of money, especially unexpectedly
- To profit handsomely despite criticism
Examples
- Critics panned the movie, but producers laughed all the way to the bank.
- She laughed all the way to the bank with her investment returns.
- The company laughed all the way to the bank despite the controversy.
Origin
Attributed to entertainer Liberace in the 1970s, responding to critics—he may have been mocked, but he was very wealthy.
How to use it
Implies not caring about criticism when financially successful. Often slightly smug.
Similar expressions
make a fortune
profit handsomely
cash in
Opposites
lose money
go bankrupt
Related idioms
- pay an arm and a leg
To pay an extremely high price
- make ends meet
To earn just enough money to cover basic expenses
- cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive
- money doesn't grow on trees
Money is not easily acquired; it must be earned
- break the bank
To cost too much money
- hit the jackpot
To achieve great success or win something valuable
Use it in a practice answer
Try "laugh all the way to the bank" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.