Meanings
nounhard act to follow (plural hard acts to follow)
plural hard acts to follow
- A performance that is so outstanding that it is unlikely to be equalled.
Synonyms: tough act to follow
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA performance that is so outstanding that it is unlikely to be equalled.
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Also see
Origin
Originally referring to an outstandingly successful vaudeville act.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
hard act to follow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20act%20to%20follow
MLA
“hard act to follow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20act%20to%20follow. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hard act to follow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hard%20act%20to%20follow.
Source: hard act to follow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.