get out of jail free card
A certain privilege or advantage that provides relief from an undesirable situation or immunity from punishment or consequences.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He thinks his wealth is a get out of jail free card.”
“A sincere apology is not always a get out of jail free card.”
“The manager treated his promotion like a get out of jail free card for his recent mistakes.”
“Being the owner's son is not a get out of jail free card when you arrive late to every shift.”
“The athlete hoped his fame would be a get out of jail free card after he broke the team rules during the tournament.”
“She mistakenly believed her long tenure at the company acted as a get out of jail free card, shielding her from the consequences of her poor performance.”
Originating as a physical component of the board game Monopoly, the phrase denotes a specific card that permits a player to exit the jail square without the customary delay or financial penalty. The term transitioned from the mechanics of the game into general English usage to describe a broader immunity from consequences.
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as it gets
As it is possible to be.
- 02
been there, done that, got the T-shirt
Alternative form of been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
- 03
can't get enough
Greatly enjoys; likes a lot.
- 04
card of ten
A bold front, an instance of standing one's ground.
- 05
cat got someone's tongue
Why is someone not saying anything?
- 06
could not get elected dogcatcher
Said of someone, particularly a politician, who is extremely unpopular.
- 07
don't get someone started
Used to attempt to avoid or abbreviate a discussion that speaker or hearer may wish to avoid.
- 08
drawing card
Synonym of drawcard (“something that attracts patronage to a place or an event”).
Last updated August 10, 2026