take the cake

verb

Used as an affirmation or accolade of someone occupying the top rank in a comparison or contest; to win or be the best (at).

“Thanks! You guys take the cake.”

Similar
steal the showtake the biscuit
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Meanings

verbtake the cake (third-person singular simple present takes the cake, present participle taking the cake, simple past took the cake, past participle taken the cake)

present singular third person takes the cake · participle present taking the cake · past took the cake · participle past taken the cake

  1. UScolloquialidiomaticUsed as an affirmation or accolade of someone occupying the top rank in a comparison or contest; to win or be the best (at).

    Thanks! You guys take the cake.

    2 more examples

    Once the party was over, everyone agreed that Elizabeth and her Harriet Tubman getup had taken the cake.

    I've seen bad grammar, but this takes the cake.

    Synonyms: steal the show, take the biscuit

Synonyms & antonyms

verbUsed as an affirmation or accolade of someone occupying the top rank in a comparison or contest; to win or be the best (at).

Similar
steal the showtake the biscuit
Also see
take the biscuit

Origin

Attested since circa 1870. Originally used in reference to the winners of cake walk competitions in black communities of the southern USA in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who were said to have "taken the cake", which was oftentimes the prize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch de kroon spannen, de kroon spannen
  • de kroon spannento be especially good
  • de kroon spannento be especially bad
Finnish viedä voitto, olla pohjanoteeraus
  • viedä voittoto be especially good
  • olla pohjanoteerausto be especially bad
  • viedä voittoto be especially bad
German den Vogel abschießen, den Vogel abschießen
  • den Vogel abschießento be especially good
  • den Vogel abschießento be especially bad
  • nicht mehr zu toppen seinto be especially bad
Hungarian elviszi a pálmát
  • elviszi a pálmátto be especially good
Icelandic taka öllu fram, hljóta fyrstu verðlaun
  • taka öllu framto be especially good
  • hljóta fyrstu verðlaunto be especially good
Polish odstawać, odstać
  • odstawaćto be especially good
  • odstaćto be especially good
  • odstawaćto be especially bad
  • odstaćto be especially bad
Spanish llevarse la palma
  • llevarse la palmato be especially good
Swedish ta priset, ta priset
  • ta prisetto be especially good
  • ta prisetto be especially bad
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: take the cake on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.