rich as Croesus

1. Extremely wealthy. Croesus was an ancient Greek king whose wealth was legendary.

Idioms and Phrases

Very wealthy, as in They're rich as Croesus, with their penthouse, yacht, and horses. This term alludes to Croesus, the legendary King of Lydia and supposedly the richest man on earth. The simile was first recorded in English in 1577.

Example Sentences

He, of course, became as rich as Croesus, even as he bathed in the adulation of his television viewers.

Read more on Salon

“I promise you. I’m going to win that contest, and we will be rich as Croesus.”

Read more on Literature

Several are known for their philanthropy, but the bottom line is they are as rich as Croesus, or just about any other figure, historical or mythical.

Read more on Washington Times

Yet this retroactive recognition is nonetheless proof that a filmmaker can be both rich as Croesus and assured of a place in history while still remaining a misunderstood and unappreciated artist.

Read more on The New Yorker

But that’s easy for them—they’re as rich as Croesus and can afford the finest ruffled tuxedo shirts and most luxuriant moustache waxes.

Read more on Slate