cut the mustard

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cut the mustard

/kʌt ðə ˈmʌstəd/ UK
/kʌt ðə ˈmʌstəɹd/ US

Rhymes with -ʌstəd

Where it comes from

From cut (“to exhibit (a quality)”) + the + mustard (“(originally US slang) something adding spice or zest to a situation; something setting the standard”).

verb cuts the mustard · cutting the mustard · cut the mustard

idiomatic, intransitive To achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough; to suffice. Give me the bigger hammer. This little one just doesn’t cut the mustard.
Similar: be up to par, be up to scratch, be up to snuff, cut it, hack it, make the cut, make the grade, measure up, pass muster

Translations

Every language

verb to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice

Français	faire le poids
Deutsch	es bringen
Русский	потянуть potjanutʹ
العربية	يفي بالغرض

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Cite this

MLA

"cut the mustard." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cut%20the%20mustard. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

cut the mustard. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cut%20the%20mustard

Chicago

"cut the mustard." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cut%20the%20mustard.

BibTeX

@misc{cut_the_mustard_2026,
  title = {cut the mustard},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cut%20the%20mustard},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}