leave someone in the dust
Leave far behind
To leave someone in the dust is to outpace or surpass them so thoroughly that they can't keep up.
The image comes from racing—the leader kicks up dust that settles on those left behind: She left the other runners in the dust by the second lap.
It extends to any competitive context: Their technology left rivals in the dust.
- surpassExceed in achievement
- eat my dustBoast of uncatchable speed
- sprintBrief maximum-speed effort
- blow pastPass at high speed
- accelerateIncrease in velocity
fast lane · humiliate · rush · gap · no contest · demoralize · lag · dash · dust · defeat · second place · outpace · miles ahead · dominate · run circles around · smoked · outclass · left behind
leave someone in the dustfall behind
Fail to maintain pace
eat someone's dust · trail behind · lag behind · bring up the rear · lose ground
leave someone in the dustphoto finish
Race decided by camera
down to the wire · dead heat · too close to call · neck and neck · win by a nose