IdiomDaily LifeEnglish

hard act to follow

Meaning: A person or thing that is so good that the person or thing that follows may not measure up to the same standard.

Example: “The retiring principal will be a hard act to follow.”

Origin: From vaudeville and variety shows in the early 20th century, where a performer booked after a very popular act struggled to impress the audience. The phrase became common from the 1970s.

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