tick all the boxes

present singular third person ticks all the boxes · participle present ticking all the boxes · participle past ticked all the boxes · past ticked all the boxes

1. idiomaticTo fulfill all the requirements, especially as itemized in a list; to have all the needed characteristics; to complete all the steps in a process in an orderly manner.

   Assuming you have ticked all your safety boxes, financial incentives decide priorities.

   2019 October, Ian Walmsley, “Cleaning up”, in Modern Railways, page 44

   3 more examples

   As a presidential candidate, Sherzai ticked all the boxes. He is Pashtun; . . . he has the necessary respect . . . ; and he possesses a national reputation.

   2009 May 6, Aryn Baker, “With a Rival's Withdrawal, Karzai's Path to Re-Election Eased”, in Time

   But he not only ticks all the boxes mentioned by Mr. Martins — musical responsiveness, use of the ballet vocabulary, a striking sense of spatial architecture — he also shows, in this work, much more.

   2010 November 7, Alastair Macaulay, “Dance Review: Luminaries and Hopefuls Join to Ensure Choreography’s Future”, in New York Times, retrieved 13 Jun 2013

   "If he continues ticking all the boxes and progressing and improving as he is, I don't think it will be long before he's on top."

   2011 February 9, “Paul McCloskey bringing army of fans to Amir Khan duel”, in Belfast Telegraph, retrieved 13 Jun 2013

   Synonyms: check all the boxes