Phrase guide

cut the mustard

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /kʌt ðə ˈmʌstəd/
  • General-American: /kʌt ðə ˈmʌstəɹd/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌstəd

1

verb

Meaning 1

To achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough; to suffice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • Give me the bigger hammer. This little one just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: be up to par, be up to scratch, be up to snuff, cut it, hack it, make the cut, make the grade, measure up, pass muster

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From cut (“to exhibit (a quality)”) + the + mustard (“(originally US slang) something adding spice or zest to a situation; something setting the standard”).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: يفي بالغرض — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Esperanto: tranĉi la mustardon — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Finnish: kelvata — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Finnish: riittää — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • French: faire le poids — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • German: es bringen — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Hungarian: elég jó — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Hungarian: megjárja — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Hungarian: tűrhető — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Polish: wystarczać — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Polish: wystarczyć — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Russian: потянуть (potjanutʹ) — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Swedish: duga — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Swedish: räcka till — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Turkish: kesmek — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice
  • Welsh: bod yn ddigon da — to achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough — see also suffice