I'll be a monkey's uncle
Often preceded by well: expressing complete surprise or disbelief.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, you actually won the lottery.”
“I'll be a monkey's uncle, the cat and dog are finally sleeping together.”
“When my old friend walked into the room after ten years, I said, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"”
“If that broken old car actually starts on the first try, I'll be a monkey's uncle.”
“Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle; I never expected to see a quiet library this crowded on a Saturday morning.”
“Upon discovering that the reclusive professor had finally published his masterpiece, I exclaimed, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"”
first recorded 20th c. disputed origin
Uncertain; the term monkey’s uncle appears in 19th-century works and may allude to early ideas about what is now called the theory of evolution. The term may then have gained more currency after the widely publicized 1925 Scopes Trial in Tennessee, United States, in which a high-school teacher was found guilty of having violated a law prohibiting the teaching of human evolution in a state-funded school.
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
bird of ill omen
A person who brings bad news.
- 03
Bob's your uncle
No problem, the solution is simple, there you have it, it's that easy, you have what you want, all will be well: indicates a desirable conclusion has been reached with ease.
- 04
do ill
To harm, to injure.
- 05
house of ill fame
A brothel
- 06
I'll be
Expressing surprise.
- 07
I'll be bound
An expression of surprise.
- 08
I'll be damned
An expression of surprise.
Last updated August 10, 2026