Good Luck | Synonyms, Meanings & Examples

Saying good luck is a common way to encourage a friend, colleague, or loved one before a big or small endeavor. You might say “good luck” before a competition, presentation, test, or job interview, but it works for ordinary situations, too.

“Good luck” can be used by itself (e.g., “Good luck!”) or in the following ways:

  • With a prepositional phrase (e.g., “Good luck with final exams!)
  • As a noun phrase (e.g., “I’m thinking of you and sending good luck!”)
  • As a compound adjective with a hyphen (e.g. “I’m sending you all the good-luck vibes on your first day of work!)

When you write a good luck message with a person’s name, place a comma before the name (e.g., “Good luck, Ted!”).

Good luck examples
Hi, Gabriela! Good luck on the presentation today. I know you’re going to do great!

Safe travels, and good luck with your flight, Nancy! We’re going to miss you!

“Good luck” isn’t the only way to show support. Depending on the situation and your relationship with the person, you can substitute “good luck” with one of the synonyms below.

Best of luck

“Best of luck” is the closest synonym for “good luck,” and it works in casual and formal situations. The superlative adjective “best” makes the message extra encouraging.

Best of luck example
Congratulations on your engagement, Ari, and best of luck with the wedding plans!

Wishing you the best of luck on your first day of classes, Jaime!

Break a leg!

When someone is about to perform on a stage, we say “break a leg” instead of “good luck.” This theatrical idiom comes from a superstition that saying “good luck” could jinx a performance. “Break a leg” also works in other casual or formal situations, such as competitions, business presentations, or major exams.

“Break a leg” uses the imperative mood. It’s a sentence with an implied second-person pronoun “you” as the subject.

Break a leg examples
Break a leg, Jessica! I’m sure opening night of Hairspray will be a huge success, and I can’t wait to see your performance on Sunday!

I just wanted to send good vibes your way before your test, Cody. Break a leg, and let me know how it went!

You got this!

“You got this” is a casual synonym for “good luck” that is short for “You’ve got this” or “You have got this.” Use “You got this!” to show that you’re confident in someone’s abilities to succeed at a difficult task. The pronoun “this” represents an upcoming challenge, such as an exam, job interview, or competition.

It might be too informal to say to a supervisor or instructor, but it works well with family, friends, and coworkers.

You got this examples
I know midterm exams can be tough, but you got this!

Good luck with your interview today. You got this!

Is your 5K race tomorrow? I can’t wait to hear how it goes. You got this!

If you’re about to compete or perform as a group, you might also say “We got this!” to encourage your teammates or partners (e.g., “Team, this is a big match against West Ham today, but we got this!”).

Fingers crossed

This casual “good luck” synonym is appropriate when someone’s waiting for an outcome. It shows that you want someone to succeed or receive positive news. It’s a way of saying “I’m thinking of you and supporting you while you wait for the outcome.”

This English saying comes from an old tradition of crossing the middle and index fingers for luck or protection. There’s also a fingers crossed emoji for text messages.

Fingers crossed examples
I heard that you applied for the promotion yesterday! Fingers crossed.

When are you supposed to hear back about the apartment application? Fingers crossed that you get it!

“Cross your fingers” is a similar expression for when you want someone to hope for a good outcome (e.g., “We might have a snow day tomorrow. Cross your fingers!”).

Knock ’em dead

This “good luck” synonym is for someone who’s about to showcase their skills (e.g., during a job interview or sales presentation). It’s so casual that it only works if you know the person well and they won’t be offended.

“Knock ’em dead” is short for “knock them dead,” but that’s not what it literally means. It’s hyperbole—a type of figurative language that involves extreme exaggeration. Figuratively, it means “I hope your performance is extremely impressive and amazing.”

Knock ’em dead examples
Knock ’em dead at the band tryouts today!

I heard you have a second interview tomorrow, Paul! Knock ’em dead!

Wishing you all the best

This endearing “good luck” synonym is appropriate for formal and informal audiences. It means that you hope a new situation is positive and successful. Use this expression in a sentence or as a sign-off to a longer “good luck” message.

Wishing you all the best example
Dear Hwan,

I can’t believe it’s already your last day, but I know you’re going to do great things at your new job. Thank you for being an amazing colleague all of these years.

Wishing you all the best!

-Erin

May the odds be ever in your favor

This expression from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins means “I hope that you win or succeed” at a game of chance or another unpredictable situation. “Odds” is a synonym for “luck” or “chances.”

Because of its connection to the horrific competitions in The Hunger Games, “may the odds be ever in your favor” is usually an ironic “good luck” message for situations that don’t have serious consequences.

May the odds be ever in your favor examples
Good luck with the Fantasy Football draft tonight. May the odds be ever in your favor.

To all my friends buying Lizzo tickets tomorrow, may the odds be ever in your favor.

Best of luck with your future endeavors

“Best of luck with your future endeavors” is a very formal way to wish someone “good luck” professionally or academically. It’s common in farewell messages to colleagues, business associates, professors, or students.

Best of luck with your future endeavors example
Best of luck with your future endeavors, Kyle. I always knew you were destined for great things!

Professor Davis

Good luck with that (for sarcasm)

“Good luck with that” is usually for sarcasm or verbal irony, especially when it ends with a period rather than an exclamation point. “Good luck with that” works before an unpleasant but not super serious situation—only if you know the person well and they’re in on the joke.

Good luck with that examples
Silas: Hey, Jen! A bunch of us are going to a party later. Wanna join?

Jen: I can’t go. My apartment is a disaster, and I promised myself I’d stay home and clean all weekend.

Silas: Haha. I know you love cleaning, so good luck with that.

Jen:  IKR? I’ll let you know how it goes. Have fun tonight!

Frequently asked questions about good luck

What is a synonym for best of luck?

Synonyms for best of luck include good luck and wishing you all the best. In casual situations, you can also say you got this.

Synonyms for best of luck examples
Good luck at the soccer game today, Hutton! You got this! 

We’re wishing you all the best in graduate school this fall!

When you’re looking for new ways to say “best of luck,” QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help.

How do I wish someone good luck professionally?

To wish someone “good luck” professionally, say “Best of luck with your future endeavors” or “wishing you all the best.” These synonyms for good luck mean that you hope the person has great success with a future job or professional situation.

This saying works well in farewell messages to professional or academic contacts who are starting new opportunities.

When you’re writing messages to colleagues, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you find synonyms for phrases like “good luck.”

Is good luck one word?

Good luck is always two words. It’s an idiom that you can use by itself with an exclamation point (e.g., “Good luck!) or with a prepositional phrase (e.g., “Good luck at the game!”). You can also use “good luck” as a noun phrase in complete sentences (e.g., “I’m sending you lots of good luck for your interview”).

“Good luck” is never one word, but sometimes it’s hyphenated. Use a hyphen when “good-luck” is a compound adjective that modifies a noun (e.g., “That red bandana is my good-luck charm”).

A QuillBot Grammar Check can help you avoid errors with “good luck” and other English expressions.

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Nicole Routh, M.Ed

Nicole has a master’s in English Education and detailed expertise in writing and grammar instruction. She’s taught college writing courses and written handbooks that empowered students worldwide.