Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

with flying colors

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.26 in modern English

Syllables
with- fly-ing -col-ors
IPA
31
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
5
Syllables
13
Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Very successfully; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.

American usage

Example Sentences

Etymology

The phrase originated in the Age of Exploration when ships would return to port with their flags (colors) raised to signify victory.

Usage

Inflected Forms

with flying colours (alternative)

Phrases

flying colours

Frequently Paired Words

flying colours

Questions

What does with flying colors mean?
Very successfully; in an exceptional, noteworthy, or extraordinary manner.
Where does with flying colors come from?
The phrase originated in the Age of Exploration when ships would return to port with their flags (colors) raised to signify victory.

How to pronounce with flying colors

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “with flying colors”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “with flying colors”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “with flying colors” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.