Strike while the iron is hot

Cultural  

1. Take advantage of favorable circumstances while they last. The image is from a blacksmith's shop; the smith can shape iron only by striking it with his hammer when it is red hot.

---

strike while the iron is hot Idioms  

1. Take advantage of favorable conditions, as in They just made a huge profit, so let's strike while the iron is hot and ask for some money. This adage alludes to the blacksmith's forge. [Late 1300s] Also see make hay while the sun shines.

---

Example Sentences

Demand for AI cloud computing is insatiable in the near term, and they want Microsoft to strike while the iron is hot.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Once success comes, there can then be added pressure to keep the momentum going, book more jobs, be seen in the right places, and strike while the iron is hot.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2022

We gotta strike while the iron is hot because I think Sam Bankman-Fried is also interested and he has a lot more money.

From The Verge • Aug. 3, 2022

MrP haven’t you heard the saying strike while the iron is hot?

From Washington Post • Feb. 25, 2022

"You know there's an old saying that 'it's best to strike while the iron is hot'."

From Fred Fenton on the Crew or, The Young Oarsmen of Riverport School by Chapman, Allen