# been there, done that, got the T-shirt

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/been-there-done-that-got-the-t-shirt
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Alternative form of been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

## Examples

- Don't tell me about heartbreak; I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
- When my friend started complaining about his stressful new job, I just sighed and said, I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
- She listened to the young entrepreneur's enthusiastic pitch with a weary smile, knowing she had been there, done that, and got the T-shirt years ago.

## Origin

The idiom arose from the commercial habit of issuing commemorative garments for physical presence or participation. It draws upon the practice of distributing T-shirts to athletes at sporting tournaments to mark an accomplishment, or the acquisition of similar clothing at tourist destinations to demonstrate to others that one has visited the location. The phrase suggests that the experience in question has been completed so thoroughly that the speaker has moved past the event to the stage of souvenir ownership. The T-shirt serves as the final, tangible proof of an ordeal or excursion that no longer requires the speaker's attention.

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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.