golden ticket

American  

[gohl-duhn tik-it] / ˈgoʊl dən ˈtɪk ɪt /

noun

Informal.

1. a way or chance to obtain something valuable or desirable that is often hard to get.

   A lot of parents think that getting into a prestigious university is a golden ticket, but you have to work hard to make that opportunity count.

   The serum contains proven ingredients that are a golden ticket to longer, healthier nails.

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Etymology

Origin of golden ticket

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

golden ticket

A computer-science degree is no longer a golden ticket.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

The Coppa del Duce, more than 90 years on, comes shaped like a golden ticket.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

If you’ve ever daydreamed about owning an item from Carrie Bradshaw’s closet or the writing desk where she penned her famous memoir, this L.A. event may be your golden ticket.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026

"Doubles has its place in the game - it's not the golden ticket that singles is, but it's undervalued by the tour," Murray told BBC Sport.

From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026

That was the golden ticket, because Martha Karolyi would select the next artistic gymnastics women’s senior and junior national teams based on the results at Nationals.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles