# icing on the cake

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/icing-on-the-cake
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A thing which intensifies the appreciation of something already good, or (ironic) the regretting of something already bad.

## Examples

- Winning the game was great, and the trophy was the icing on the cake.
- I loved the new job offer, but the generous relocation bonus was the real icing on the cake.
- The promotion was a significant career milestone, yet the unexpected invitation to lead the international project served as the perfect icing on the cake.

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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.