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Rome wasn't built in a day

Cultural

Rome wasn't built in a day Idioms

Important work takes time. This expression functions as an injunction or plea for someone to be patient. For example, You can't expect her to finish this project in the time allotted; Rome wasn't built in a day. This phrase was a French proverb in the late 1100s but was not recorded in English until 1545.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rome wasn't built in a day

"They know Rome wasn't built in a day," Vance said in the key, blue-collar swing state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025

The Harbaugh process needs to be trusted and Rome wasn’t built in a day.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 18, 2025

Rome wasn’t built in a day, so please look after yourself first.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 30, 2021

Rome wasn't built in a day and it didn't fall in a day either.

From BBC ● May 25, 2012

Paulus doesn't call it hopeless, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

From The Professor's Mystery by Wells Hastings

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023