# best of both worlds

idiom · CEFR A2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/best-of-both-worlds
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A combination of two seemingly contradictory benefits.

## Examples

- Working from home gives me the best of both worlds.
- Living in the city but near the park offers the best of both worlds for my family.
- By choosing a hybrid career, she enjoys the best of both worlds: the stability of a salary and the freedom of being her own boss.

## Origin

Echoes the philosophical idea of 'the best of all possible worlds' (Leibniz, satirised in Voltaire's Candide, 1759); here meaning the joys of two different worlds at once. (disputed)

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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.