# the streets are paved with gold

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-streets-are-paved-with-gold
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to describe a place where it is easy to become wealthy or live well.

## Examples

- Some people think the streets are paved with gold in that city.
- Many immigrants moved there believing the streets are paved with gold, only to find that life was much harder than they expected.
- The young man left his rural village for the capital, lured by the naive fantasy that the streets are paved with gold and fortune awaited him at every corner.

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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.