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Synonyms

make a killing

Idioms  
  1. Enjoy a large and quick profit, as in They made a killing in real estate. This expression alludes to a hunter's success. [Slang; late 1800s]


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.

“You’re outpacing inflation, which is good, but you’re not going to make a killing off it,” says Cory Windelspecht.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

When it comes to making money as a director, Chapman’s Jones quoted the adage, “You can make a killing, but you can’t make a living.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2023

“Sponsors make a killing, and public shareholders take a bath,” Mr. Klausner said.

From New York Times • Dec. 7, 2022

The book is about a "stockbroker who plays on superstitions about the date to create chaos on Wall Street and make a killing on the market," History.com says on its website.

From Fox News • Aug. 13, 2021

If it were not, one could make a killing on the stock exchange by having a computer that would remember tomorrow’s prices!

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking