ENGLISH
REFERENCE

good thing

idiom
Meaning

You say 'it's a good thing' to show you are happy that something happened, because it prevented a problem.


Origin

first recorded 11th c.

In this spelling from 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Dates, by W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman, 1930.

Examples
SIMPLE

It is a good thing you brought an umbrella today.

CONTEXTUAL

It is a good thing we checked the flight time, or we would have missed our plane.

COMPLEX

It is a good thing the driver reacted quickly, as the sudden storm made the roads incredibly dangerous for everyone.

Last updated April 22, 2026