runaway success
Unexpected massive triumph
A runaway success is an achievement that exceeds all expectations, gaining momentum rapidly and seemingly unstoppably—like a runaway train or horse that can't be reined in.
The phrase typically describes books, films, products, or ventures that take off far beyond what anyone anticipated: The app became a runaway success within weeks of launch.
- blockbusterEnormously successful entertainment property
- smash hitOverwhelming popular success
- big hitWildly popular success
- phenomenonExtraordinary observable occurrence
- cultural phenomenonWidely recognized societal trend
viral · word of mouth · sensation · catch fire · breakthrough · out of nowhere · triumph · jackpot · goldmine · meteoric · overnight · lightning in a bottle · taking off · wildfire · explosive · chart-topping · bestseller · juggernaut
- outcomesoutcome, win, effect, impact, result
- big hitsblockbusters, blockbuster, hits, hit, bestseller
- windfallsjackpot, windfall, grand prize, found money, big win
runaway successtotal disaster
colossal failure · train wreck · fiasco · epic fail · debacle
runaway successflop
Complete commercial failure
box office bomb · turkey · stinker · dead in the water · tanked
away, success, runs, runner, runners, runways, successful, successfully, unsuccessful