make the grade
Meet the standard
To make the grade is to meet the required standard or succeed at something challenging: She worked hard and finally made the grade as a surgeon.
The phrase comes from railroad terminology, where a locomotive had to have enough power to climb a steep grade.
Someone who doesn't make the grade falls short of expectations.
- measure upMeet required standards
- qualifyMeet required criteria
- pass musterMeet required standards
- succeedAchieve a desired aim
- cut the mustardMeet required standards
meet the standard · pass · adequate · up to par · cut it · acceptable · hold your own · satisfy · threshold · get by · up to snuff · rise to the occasion · criterion · benchmark · suffice · eligibility · meet · resilience
- Standards & Benchmarksbenchmark, yardstick, gold standard, litmus test, acid test
- cut ithack it, pass muster, cut the mustard, measure up
- success idiomshit the jackpot, strike gold, rags to riches, come out on top, hit it out of the park
- learninglearning, learn, classes, instruction, studying
- accomplishaccomplish, achieve, complete, do, finish
success vs failure in meeting standards
make the gradefall short
Fail to reach standard
fail · flunk · miss the mark · come up short · fall flat
make, grade, made, maker, making, upgrade, grading, remake, makes