take the cake
English · Thesaurus
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take the cake
Where it comes from
Attested since circa 1870. Originally used in reference to the winners of cake walk competitions in black communities of the southern USA in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who were said to have "taken the cake", which was oftentimes the prize.
verb takes the cake · taking the cake · took the cake · taken the cake
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Used as an affirmation or accolade of someone occupying the top rank in a comparison or contest; to win or be the best (at).
Thanks! You guys take the cake.
Similar: steal the show, take the biscuit
Translations
Every language
verb to be especially good
| Español | llevarse la palma |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | den Vogel abschießen |
verb to be especially bad
| Deutsch | den Vogel abschießen, nicht mehr zu toppen sein |
|---|
Talk about this word "take the cake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/take%20the%20cake. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. take the cake. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/take%20the%20cake "take the cake." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/take%20the%20cake.Cite this
@misc{take_the_cake_2026,
title = {take the cake},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/take%20the%20cake},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
