come out ahead

Idioms  

1. Succeed, make a profit. For example, By the end of the year we expect to come out ahead. Also see ahead of the game.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

come out ahead

Mr. Young’s compositions come out ahead, and the band’s sound throughout is compelling, more so than some of the song topics and lyrics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

But because they on average have lost less than the indexes during market downturns, they come out ahead over the longer term on a risk-adjusted basis.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

“You can get a week’s vacation and dental work and still come out ahead of what you’d be paying in the U.S.,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026

Lowe’s has come out ahead in most of the above comparisons; it has been the better long-term performer in the stock market and has beaten the S&P 500’s 10-year return by a wide margin.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 23, 2026

“We’ll still come out ahead, even after the cost of the ad.”

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar