English idiom

put your best foot forward

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to make a good first impression by showing your best side

Why this phrase?

Beginning with one's best step represents presenting the most favorable version of oneself.

Example

“Dress neatly and put your best foot forward at the interview.”

Recorded usage

These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.

“Put your best foot forward” — 19 recorded occurrences

Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.

Dictionary details

Component words

best foot

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

foot in the door

an initial opportunity that may lead to bigger things

land on your feet

to recover safely from a difficult situation

put your foot down

to assert your authority firmly

big fish in a small pond

an important person in a small or limited environment

climb the corporate ladder

to advance step by step through the ranks of a company

glass ceiling

an invisible barrier that prevents women and minorities from rising to senior roles

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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