# ride high

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ride-high
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To enjoy good fortune; to be in a privileged situation; to be particularly happy or proud.

## Examples

- The team is riding high after their big win.
- You are riding high now that you finished your difficult exams.
- She rides high whenever her paintings sell at the gallery.
- After the company stock price doubled, the CEO was riding high and planning a massive expansion.
- The local bakery is riding high because a famous food critic recently gave their sourdough bread a perfect review.
- The city is riding high this month as thousands of tourists arrive for the international film festival.
- The young scientist is riding high this week because a prestigious journal just published her research on renewable energy sources.
- Having secured the promotion and the respect of his peers, he was riding high, confident that his long-term career goals were finally within reach.

## Origin

Possibly an allusion to one who rides on horseback in an upright, proud, and commanding manner. The phrase remains of uncertain origin, appearing without a specific date of introduction or a recorded individual to whom the coinage may be attributed. (disputed)

---

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.