English Reference
Idiom idiom

fat chance


Little or no chance, a low or nonexistent likelihood of occurrence or success; a faint chance.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

You think he will help you? Fat chance.

CONTEXTUAL

I asked my boss for a month off during our busiest season, but he gave me a fat chance.

COMPLEX

Given the company's current financial instability, there is a fat chance that the employees will receive their promised bonuses this year.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    big fat

    Complete, utter, total.

  2. 02

    blow one's chance

    To ruin, or fail to capitalise on an opportunity.

  3. 03

    Buckley's chance

    A very small chance; no chance at all.

  4. 04

    chance upon

    To find (someone or something) by chance.

  5. 05

    chances are

    It is likely that, it is probable that

  6. 06

    Chinaman's chance

    No chance; zero possibility.

  7. 07

    crack a fat

    To get an erection of the penis.

  8. 08

    dog's chance

    Little or no likelihood.

Last updated August 10, 2026