Meanings
prepositional phrase(American spelling)
alternative with flying colours
- USidiomaticVery successfully; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.
He passed the test with flying colors, as everyone had expected.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Origin
The phrase originated in the Age of Exploration when ships would return to port with their flags (colors) raised to signify victory.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 成功地, 出色地
- 成功地(idiom) very successfully
- 出色地(idiom) very successfully
Czech bez ztráty kytičky
- bez ztráty kytičky(idiom) very successfully
Dutch met vlag en wimpel, glansrijk
- met vlag en wimpel(idiom) very successfully
- glansrijk(idiom) very successfully
Finnish liput liehuen, mennen tullen
- liput liehuen(idiom) very successfully
- mennen tullen(idiom) very successfully
French haut la main
- haut la main(idiom) very successfully
German mit Bravour
- mit Bravour(idiom) very successfully
Polish śpiewająco
- śpiewająco(idiom) very successfully
Russian на "Ура!"
- на "Ура!"(idiom) very successfully
Spanish airoso
- airoso(idiom) very successfully
Ukrainian на славу, на ура
- на славу (na slavu)(idiom) very successfully
- на ура (na ura)(idiom) very successfully
- відмінно (vidminno)(idiom) very successfully
- на відмінно (na vidminno)(idiom) very successfully
Cite this entry
APA
with flying colors. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/with%20flying%20colors
MLA
“with flying colors.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/with%20flying%20colors. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “with flying colors,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/with%20flying%20colors.
Source: with flying colors on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.