Idiom: To go from rags to riches
Meaning
- To go from being poor to having a lot of money.
- go from being very poor to being very wealthy
- be very poor in the beginning then later become very rich
- go from poverty to wealth
Examples
“Actor Jim Carrey went from rags to riches. At one time, he was living in a van, but he continued to work hard and eventually became one of the highest-paid comedians in the world.”
He went from rags to riches after his roadside performances were noticed by a famous movie maker and he was offered roles in his movies.
His journey has been one of rags to riches. He started out as a street vendor but now is the owner of a big business.
He grew up in abject poverty, but now is the highest paid sportsperson in the country. His story is really one of going from rags to riches.
His story is one of those rags to riches. He had nothing in his early years of life, now he is the creator of an internationally well-known fashion brand.
He was inspired after reading the rags-to-riches story of his favourite film star.
My cousin went from rags to riches within little time. He had a few hundred dollars when he started and now owns a big business.
Many people describe it as a rags to riches to rags story.
Most people like a real life rags-to-riches story. It gives us hope in an otherwise tough world.
Her story was one of going from rags to riches. She had nothing while growing up, now she is the creator of a famous fashioMy cousin went from rags to riches within little time. He had a few hundred dollars when he started and now owns a big business.n brand.
She started by selling fast food on the street, but her recipe was so good that she quickly went from rags to riches and now she has her own restaurant.
My uncle has truly gone from rags to riches.
Origin
The origin of the phrase is not very clear. However, history is replete with characters who have risen from the depths of poverty to the heights of power and wealth
The idiom “to go from rags to riches” has been used at least since the 1880s. The word ‘rags’ is referring to modest or humble clothing or pieces of it, worn by a poor person, therefore implying the state of poverty.
Around the dated times of 1834-1899, the stories of American writer Horatio Alger are frequently related with “rags to riches”.
Synonyms
FAQs
To go from being poor to having a lot of money.
“Actor Jim Carrey went from rags to riches. At one time, he was living in a van, but he continued to work hard and eventually became one of the highest-paid comedians in the world.”