The Road to Success: English Vocabulary List

having a chance to win or succeed, particularly in a competition or selection

"She is still in the running."

"Three candidates are still in the running for the position of chief executive officer at the company."

used to refer to a state or situation in which something is very close to being achieved

"She is within striking distance now."

"After months of training, the athlete is finally within striking distance of winning the gold medal."

to achieve more success or popularity

"Our team is gaining ground fast."

"The new political party is gaining ground among young voters who want real change in the country."

a list of experiences, achievements, or goals that a person wishes to accomplish or fulfill during their lifetime

"Skydiving is on her bucket list."

"Skydiving is on her bucket list and she plans to do it for her fiftieth birthday."

from the point at which something began

"She built it from scratch."

"She baked the cake completely from scratch without using any ready made cake mix or ingredients."

to start a project, plan, or activity successfully

"We finally got the project off the ground."

"We need a large investment to get this project off the ground because it requires expensive equipment."

to try to make something successful, often with a significant degree of effort or determination

"I hope you make a go of your new business."

"Despite the difficult economic conditions they are determined to make a go of their new restaurant business."

the point in a process where theory, ideas, or plans are put into practice and tested for their effectiveness

"This is where the rubber meets the road."

"The plan sounds good on paper but where the rubber meets the road we may face unexpected problems."

used to say that the progress has been satisfactory up until this point

"I have repaired the engine, so far so good."

"We have completed half of the project and so far so good no major problems have appeared."

the start of something in a very favorable or promising way

"The new business got off to a flying start."

"The new business got off to a flying start and made a profit in its very first month."

to be doing very well or functioning effectively

"Now we are cooking with gas!"

"After months of struggling with the project, the team finally found the right strategy and now they are cooking with gas, making incredible progress every single day."

to be close to achieving success or popularity, but not quite there yet

"The band bubbled under the radar."

"This innovative startup is quietly bubbling under the radar, poised for a major breakthrough in the tech industry."

to be making great progress

"That young girl will go places."

"With her incredible determination and talent, she is definitely going places in the world of professional music."

the most important part of something such as a project, task, etc.

"Getting the right tools is half the battle."

"Understanding the instructions is half the battle once you know what to do the rest is easy."

to advance and make great progress in one's career or life

"We made headway."

"Despite the initial setbacks, the team finally began to make headway on the complex project."

likely to achieve something as expected

"The project is on course."

"Despite some initial setbacks, the construction project remains on course to be completed by the deadline."

in the process of progressing toward a particular goal

"I am on the way to becoming a doctor."

"She is well on the way to finishing her novel with only three chapters left to write."

in a manner that increases the chances of achieving success

"Your plan is on the right lines."

"The research team believes they are working along the right lines to develop an effective vaccine very soon."

used to refer to a state or situation in which something is very close to being achieved

"We are within striking distance."

"With only one point separating them, the two teams are now within striking distance of the championship title."

the middle stage or point in a process of achieving a desired result

"This is a halfway house."

"The rehabilitation center serves as a halfway house, providing support during the transition back into society."

becoming increasingly successful with the passage of time

"He is on the up and up."

"Her career has been on the up and up since she joined the innovative startup."