# bed of roses

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bed-of-roses
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A pleasant or easy situation; an untroubled existence.

## Examples

- Life isn't always a bed of roses.
- She thought marriage would be a bed of roses, but it took a lot of work.
- He had grown up believing that success was a bed of roses, only to discover that every achievement demanded its own measure of sacrifice.

## Origin

From Christopher Marlowe's poem The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (1599).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.