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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But there is good news – some industries consistently beat the odds with failure rates being lower than the average. Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Elon Musk’s private space company seems to beat the odds and constantly proves the naysayers wrong. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2025 An undrafted free agent, Braman beat the odds and made it to the NFL, a conspicuous figure on the field with his flowing hair and his dedication to the game. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 18 July 2025 The 218-214 vote is a testament to Trump’s sustained sway over the conference, and Johnson’s ability to beat the odds. Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 3 July 2025 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 11 Sep. 2025.

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!