catch/capture lightning in a bottle

idiom

chiefly US
: to succeed in a way that is very lucky or unlikely
He caught lightning in a bottle with the success of his very first book.

Examples of catch/capture lightning in a bottle in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kraft, Davis and Strunk, like many owners before them, have fallen into the trap of trying to catch lightning in a bottle. — Mike Jones, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025 But for many aspiring writers, crafting authentic and engaging dialogue can feel like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. — Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

catch boom
catch/capture lightning in a bottle
catch colt
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Cite this Entry

“Catch/capture lightning in a bottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%2Fcapture%20lightning%20in%20a%20bottle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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