# that's the ticket

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/thats-the-ticket
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

That's just right; that's just what is needed.

## Examples

- A cold drink is exactly what I need; that's the ticket.
- We were struggling to fix the engine, but this new part is exactly what we needed—that's the ticket.
- After hours of searching for the perfect solution to the complex design flaw, the lead engineer realized that this simple adjustment was finally the ticket.

## Origin

Ellipsis of that's the ticket for soup, from the 1820s.

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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.