jump on the bandwagon

verb

To profit from a craze; to join a trend.

“After the incredible success of Wonka's latest low-fat chocolate bar, Fickelgruber has jumped on the bandwagon, and released a low-fat version.”

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Meanings

verbjump on the bandwagon (third-person singular simple present jumps on the bandwagon, present participle jumping on the bandwagon, simple past and past participle jumped on the bandwagon)

present singular third person jumps on the bandwagon · participle present jumping on the bandwagon · participle past jumped on the bandwagon · past jumped on the bandwagon · alternative climb on the bandwagon · alternative hop on the bandwagon · alternative jump on the boat

  1. idiomaticTo profit from a craze; to join a trend.

    After the incredible success of Wonka's latest low-fat chocolate bar, Fickelgruber has jumped on the bandwagon, and released a low-fat version.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
bandwagonjump on the boat

Origin

US 1899. A bandwagon carried the musicians at the head of a parade or at a political rally, beckoning others to follow. When used to refer to politics, jumping on the bandwagon suggests following the crowd for the excitement of the event rather than any firm conviction in its direction or truthfulness. The phrase is first attested in a letter by Theodore Roosevelt in 1899: : When I once became sure of one majority they rumbled over each other to get aboard the band wagon.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish hoppe på, springe på
  • hoppe påto profit from a craze
  • springe påto profit from a craze
  • (med) på vognento profit from a craze
Finnish hypätä kyytiin
  • hypätä kyytiinto profit from a craze
French prendre le train en marche, suivre le mouvement
  • prendre le train en marcheto profit from a craze
  • suivre le mouvementto profit from a craze
German auf den Zug aufspringen
  • auf den Zug aufspringento profit from a craze
Irish dul faoi uisce an cheatha
  • dul faoi uisce an cheathato profit from a craze
Italian saltare sul carro dei vincitori
  • saltare sul carro dei vincitorito profit from a craze
Norwegian kaste seg på lasset
  • kaste seg på lassetto profit from a craze
Portuguese entrar na onda
  • entrar na ondato profit from a craze
Russian примазаться
  • примазаться (primazatʹsja)to profit from a craze
Spanish subirse al carro
  • subirse al carroto profit from a craze
Swedish hoppa på tåget
  • hoppa på tågetto profit from a craze
Cite this entry
APA

jump on the bandwagon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jump%20on%20the%20bandwagon

MLA

“jump on the bandwagon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jump%20on%20the%20bandwagon. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jump on the bandwagon,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jump%20on%20the%20bandwagon.

Source: jump on the bandwagon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.