Meaning of ‘Close But No Cigar’
The phrase ‘close but no cigar’ means that someone almost succeeded at what they were trying to do, but ultimately they did not. It’s often used to describe situations where a person falls just short of success.
Example: After getting home from the store, John asked, “Did I get everything on the list?” His wife replied, “Close, but no cigar. You forgot the paper towels.”
Similar Phrases: almost there, by a hair, just missed it, fell just short, nearly had it, so close yet so far
Related Idioms:
Want to discover more common idioms that start with C? Then don’t forget to check out our Popular Phrases Starting With C page for a list of them.
Origin of ‘Close But No Cigar’
The phrase ‘close, but no cigar’ is thought to have originated from carnivals or fairs, where cigars were once awarded as prizes for winning certain games. Yes, carnivals feature a variety of games that test people’s strength or accuracy. For instance, in the ‘high striker’ game, players swing a mallet at a target, and if they hit it with enough force, a metal object rises and rings a bell, signaling a win. Prizes were then handed out to the winners.
In the 20th century, it’s believed that cigars were one of the prizes that were given out. If that’s true, then you could imagine the game operator saying, “Close, but no cigar!” to the players who had nearly won. Over time, the phrase moved beyond the carnival world and became a widely recognized expression in the English language.
This idiom dates back to the year 1934, appearing in print from that year in a Pennsylvania newspaper called the Chester Times:
“An unseen pedestrian loomed before their headlights, narrowly dodged the sliding wheels. ‘Close, but no cigar,’ the lieutenant shouted.”
Example Sentences
Examples:
1. After nearly breaking my personal 100-yard dash record, my coach told me I was close, but no cigar.
2. She set a goal of losing 10 pounds by the end of the month, but fell just short—close, but no cigar.
Examples That Use Similar Idioms:
1 I nearly had it—the bus left not even a minute before I arrived!
2. We were almost able to secure tickets to the game, but they sold out seconds before. So close, yet so far.
3. I nearly scored a goal at the end of the game, but I just missed it by a hair.