cup of tea

noun phrase

1
: something one likes or excels in
I see already that storytelling isn't my cup of teaJohn Barth
also : a person suited to one's taste
2
: a thing to be reckoned with : matter
poltergeists are a different cup of teaD. B. W. Lewis

Examples of cup of tea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Over a cup of tea, Martin embraced the role of a rock admiral. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 30 May 2024 The craze is also well under way in China, where the first cups of tea were brewed more than 4,000 years ago. Adrienne Wyper, The Week Uk, theweek, 2 May 2024 Consider the relatively simple problem of making a cup of tea given an electric kettle, water, a box of tea bags, and a mug. IEEE Spectrum, 28 May 2024 The national anthem rings out by one of two military bands on the ground, and around 27,000 cups of tea and 20,000 slices of cakes are reportedly served through the afternoon. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 23 May 2024 Perhaps an essential oil diffuser is always buzzing in your home, or a cup of tea relaxes you instantly. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2024 Canary Wharf can be likened to any other financial hub area in the world—stoic, functional and not everyone’s cup of tea. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 13 May 2024 If something was too melodic, whether in a guitar line, a melody or a vocal, that just wasn’t his cup of tea. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2024 The series tells the story of Donny (Richard Gadd, reenacting a version of his own life), a bartender and wannabe comedian who serves Martha (Jessica Gunning) a free cup of tea, unknowingly starting a yearslong odyssey that begins with thousands of harassing emails and gets worse from there. Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cup of tea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cup of tea was in 1932

Dictionary Entries Near cup of tea

Cite this Entry

“Cup of tea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cup%20of%20tea. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on cup of tea

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!