golden ticket

noun

plural golden tickets

: an extremely valuable opportunity or means of access to something desired

Back in 2005, the little-known playwright Glen Berger snagged a golden ticket of a job: writing the script for a Spider-Man musical directed by the MacArthur-certified genius Julie Taymor (The Lion King), with a score by U2's Bono and the Edge.

—Thom Geier

The bachelor's degree, he thinks, is the golden ticket that makes a career and everything else possible.

—Thomas Frank

… everyone I fight, I am their golden ticket because they know if they can beat me, they will make a name for themselves and go on to bigger and better things.

—James Degale

Examples of golden ticket in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Crushed Dreams Unfortunately, for those interested in an up-close and personal look at day-to-day operations, a golden ticket will not be offered for the foreseeable future. — Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026

In Wonka’s the Golden Ticket, contestants vie for golden tickets to enter the chocolate factory — a recreation of the on-screen adaptation inspired by Roald Dahl’s children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. — Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026

And, like the book and movie adaptations, that means finding a golden ticket in their Wonka chocolate bar. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2026

For Pritzker or whoever prevails, the golden ticket could be a strong policy on data centers. — Patrick McNamara, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for golden ticket

• chicot
• cricket
• picket
• picot
• thicket
• wicket