have a good time

Idioms

Enjoy oneself, as in I hope you have a good time at the beach. This idiom, also used as an imperative, dates from 16th-century England, where it was popular until the late 1600s and died out. Samuel Pepys, in a diary entry of March 1, 1666, wrote, “I went and had as good a time as heart could wish.” In America it continued to be used, and in the 1800s it reappeared in British speech as well. Also see hard time; show one a good time.

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.

have a good time

If you can afford it, this friendship is important to you, and you think you’ll have a good time, I say do it.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

He positions himself as a guy who wants to have a good time and who throws tentpole pop-culture events.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

I got my Nike shoes on and I’m just ready to have a good time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

"I just want it for the World Cup, to have a good time," he explains.

From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026

MOM: Did you have a good time, Ryan Dean?

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

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