pat on the back
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They might not get a pat on the back from everyday Americans, but the pricing and trading of something as complicated as SpaceX was nothing short of impressive.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
Reassurance, a well-deserved pat on the back, best wishes for good health and one piece of your favorite candy.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
Century missed, Bethell received a rousing ovation from the crowd and a consoling pat on the back from Duckett, who fell short of his own ton by playing on off Southee.
From BBC • Dec. 7, 2024
That self-congratulatory cinematic gesture almost feels insulting, when it’s the audience who deserves a reassuring pat on the back.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2024
Everyone else gets a wave or a pat on the back.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
