catch/capture lightning in a bottle

idiom

chiefly US
: to succeed in a way that is very lucky or unlikely
He caught lightning in a bottle with the success of his very first book.

Examples of catch/capture lightning in a bottle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But for many aspiring writers, crafting authentic and engaging dialogue can feel like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024 Or should Reid dress Toney for the game and use him strategically to try to catch lightning in a bottle again, but risk another major gaffe or drop or more distractions steering the Chiefs’ train off the tracks? Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2024 Mike Schaller Temple City :: In an effort to catch lightning in a bottle, Steve Ballmer has approved a trade for James Harden that is reminiscent of Arte Moreno’s signing of Albert Pujols. Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2023 Four receivers isn’t enough for an NFL team on Sundays, and the decision comes after an offseason where Indianapolis stockpiled low-cost receivers with some level of experience, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with one. The Indianapolis Star, 29 Aug. 2023 For Theroux, a feature-length documentary film is the opposite of that, a way to capture lightning in a bottle, and to freeze the star in time. Simran Hans, Variety, 13 Jan. 2023 Finding another Joe Burrow or Ja’Marr Chase is nearly impossible, but some teams are in better shape than others to capture lightning in a bottle the way Cincinnati did. C.j. Doon, baltimoresun.com, 16 Feb. 2022 But there's probably enough talent here to catch lightning in a bottle for one season ... at least in 2023. 5. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2023 Newcomer Baker Mayfield will try to catch lightning in a bottle twice when his Los Angeles Rams (4-9) travel to Wisconsin for a game against Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers (5-8). Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2022

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

Dictionary Entries Near catch/capture lightning in a bottle

catch boom

catch/capture lightning in a bottle

catch colt

Cite this Entry

“Catch/capture lightning in a bottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%2Fcapture%20lightning%20in%20a%20bottle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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