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

“For cyber defenders to come out ahead, we need to act now.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 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

The longer a person expects to live, the more likely they are to come out ahead by delaying claiming and getting a higher benefit.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

The reconciliation this year sees Holyrood come out ahead of previous expectations.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

To come out ahead after child-care costs, Generose figured she would have to find work that paid thirteen or fourteen dollars an hour.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John