# tick all the boxes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tick-all-the-boxes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To fulfill all the requirements, especially as itemized in a list; to have all the needed characteristics; to complete all the steps in a process in an orderly manner.

## Examples

- This new apartment ticks all the boxes for me.
- Does this software tick all the boxes for your project?
- The candidate was perfect for the job because she ticked all the boxes regarding experience and technical skills.
- We decided to book the hotel because it ticks all the boxes, including a central location, a reasonable price, and a gym for our morning workouts.
- Although the proposal initially seemed ambitious, it ultimately ticked all the boxes required by the committee to secure the necessary funding for the project.

## Origin

From the late 20th century, the idiom draws upon the practice of marking a checklist with check marks to confirm that each required condition has been met. The term functions as a linguistic shortcut for the physical act of verifying an inventory, recording the completion of a sequence through a series of discrete, administrative strokes.

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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.