beat the odds
idiom
: to succeed despite not having a good chance of succeeding
Most new restaurants fail, but this one somehow managed to beat the odds.
Examples of beat the odds in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, Taaffe will try and continue to beat the odds by becoming the 12th player from Westlake to play in the NFL.
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Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The Bruins have beaten the odds for the first 57 games.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Many older athletes, celebrated for beating the odds or for being the oldest, return despite setbacks and hiatuses from competition.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Feb. 2026
Whether or not Knueppel can beat the odds and overtake Flagg for NBA Rookie of the Year with two months left in the season remains to be seen.
—Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beat the odds
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Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The Bruins have beaten the odds for the first 57 games.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Many older athletes, celebrated for beating the odds or for being the oldest, return despite setbacks and hiatuses from competition.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Feb. 2026
Whether or not Knueppel can beat the odds and overtake Flagg for NBA Rookie of the Year with two months left in the season remains to be seen.
—Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beat the odds
Cite this Entry
“Beat the odds.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beat%20the%20odds. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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