English Reference
Idiom idiom

sunshine and rainbows


Happy, positive things, sometimes with a connotation of unrealistic expectations.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

Life is not always sunshine and rainbows.

CONTEXTUAL

He thought the new job would be all sunshine and rainbows, but he soon realized it involved a lot of hard work.

COMPLEX

While the brochure promised a perfect vacation, the reality of the trip was far from sunshine and rainbows, as the weather remained gloomy throughout our stay.


Related idioms7entries
  1. 01

    bask in the sunshine

    To enjoy or revel in a glorious moment.

  2. 02

    chase a rainbow

    To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.

  3. 03

    chase rainbows

    To pursue unrealistic or fanciful goals.

  4. 04

    rainbow baby

    A baby that is conceived after a miscarriage or other loss of a baby.

  5. 05

    rainbows and unicorns

    A wonderful (but often unrealistic) scenario.

  6. 06

    somewhere over the rainbow

    In an unknown, hypothetical, or very distant place.

  7. 07

    walk on sunshine

    To be extremely happy.

Last updated August 10, 2026