23 Ways to say GOOD LUCK: Advanced English Vocabulary Lesson

A friendly way to express hopes for someone’s future or an upcoming event.

Tone and use: Warm, polite, and suitable for cards or notes. Use it for a coworker’s milestone, a graduation, wedding, or trip.

May not fit: It is less specific than a personal message; add a detail when you want to sound more personal.

Wish someone success with a new challenge, job, move, or opportunity.

Tone and use: Neutral and supportive. Use it before someone begins a new task or life change.

May not fit: It expresses hope, not a guarantee of success.

Introduce a hopeful possibility while recognizing that the outcome is uncertain.

Tone and use: Conversational and cautiously optimistic. Use it before a possible result: “With any luck, we’ll…”

May not fit: Do not use it when success is certain or guaranteed.

Suggest that taking a courageous risk can lead to success.

Tone and use: Proverb-like, motivational, and somewhat formal or dramatic. Use it to encourage someone facing a worthwhile new opportunity.

May not fit: It is not a guarantee that every risk is wise; consider the possible consequences.

A poetic wish that someone’s journey be easy and their difficulties manageable.

Tone and use: Formal, lyrical, and ceremonious. Use it in a card or speech for someone beginning a major journey or life change.

May not fit: It may sound overly grand in a casual conversation.

Express hope that something will happen successfully; it can also accompany a crossed-fingers gesture.

Tone and use: Casual, friendly, and common. Use it while waiting for an uncertain result: “Fingers crossed I get the job.”

May not fit: It shows hope, not confidence that the result is assured.

Encourage someone by saying you believe they are capable of succeeding.

Tone and use: Direct and supportive. Use it when someone feels nervous before attempting a task.

May not fit: It can feel dismissive if the person needs practical help as well as encouragement.

A casual, confident way to reassure someone that they can handle a challenge.

Tone and use: Informal, upbeat, and encouraging. Use it before a test, conversation, performance, or difficult task.

May not fit: It is casual; use a more measured expression in a formal message.

Wish someone good luck before a performance or audition.

Tone and use: Playful and idiomatic; especially associated with performers. Use it before a play, audition, concert, or similar performance.

May not fit: It is not a literal wish for injury; avoid it if the listener may not know the idiom.

Say that you are supporting and cheering for someone’s success.

Tone and use: Warm and personal. Use it when someone is competing or working toward a challenging goal.

May not fit: Rooting can also mean supporting a team; context identifies the person you support.

Depending on tone, this can wish someone luck or sarcastically suggest their task will be difficult or unpleasant.

Tone and use: Highly tone-dependent; it may be supportive or sarcastic. Use it sincerely with a warm tone, or knowingly with close friends when joking.

May not fit: With emphasis on “that” and a serious expression, it can sound dismissive or imply failure.

Offer warm, positive wishes or emotional support.

Tone and use: Casual, relaxed, and usually nonreligious. Use it in a message or comment when someone needs encouragement.

May not fit: It may feel vague or too casual for someone who prefers direct or religious support.

Wish someone great success, especially in a performance; ‘em is a reduced form of them.

Tone and use: Playful, energetic, and idiomatic. Use it before a show, speech, audition, or competition.

May not fit: It is figurative and should not be understood as an instruction to hurt anyone.

Cheer someone on with a playful, energetic wish for success.

Tone and use: Affectionate, teasing, and very informal. Use it with a child or close friend before a challenge, usually with a smile.

May not fit: Tiger is a playful nickname; it may sound patronizing or odd with someone you do not know well.

Impress an audience or other people greatly with a performance or skill.

Tone and use: Informal, enthusiastic, and metaphorical. Use it to encourage someone before an interview, audition, or presentation.

May not fit: It is figurative, not physical; in formal settings “impress them” may be more suitable.

Win a competition or earn its top prize; the crown is symbolic.

Tone and use: Playful and celebratory. Use it to cheer for someone in a contest or tournament.

May not fit: It implies winning; use a broader wish if taking part is the main goal.

Jokingly ask someone who may become successful or famous not to forget you.

Tone and use: Teasing, affectionate, and humorous. Use it with a friend who is pursuing acting, music, or another public career.

May not fit: It is a joke, not a serious request; avoid it if it could add pressure.

A humorous, mock-dramatic reminder to remember ordinary friends after becoming successful.

Tone and use: Playful, ironic, and old-fashioned in tone. Use it jokingly with someone whose success might make them well-known.

May not fit: It can sound condescending or imply a hierarchy; use only when the humor is clearly shared.

Wish someone success, safety, or good fortune on a difficult journey or undertaking.

Tone and use: Archaic, solemn, or deliberately dramatic. Use it in a playful old-fashioned voice or a genuinely serious farewell.

May not fit: It may sound theatrical or religious; “safe travels” is more everyday.

An old-fashioned way to say goodbye and wish someone well.

Tone and use: Archaic, theatrical, and often humorous today. Use it playfully when saying goodbye to a friend who understands the joke.

May not fit: It is not a normal modern everyday farewell; use “take care” in ordinary conversation.

Wish someone strength or good luck, quoting the Star Wars expression.

Tone and use: Recognizable, nerdy, and lighthearted. Use it jokingly before a difficult task, especially with someone who knows the reference.

May not fit: It is a pop-culture quotation, not a neutral phrase for every audience.

Wish someone luck while echoing the Hunger Games quotation, often with a darkly playful tone.

Tone and use: Dramatic, ironic, and tied to a specific book and film reference. Use it jokingly before a difficult or competitive challenge with someone who knows the story.

May not fit: The original fictional context is grim; avoid it when a sincere, gentle wish is needed.

Wish someone a long, successful life, quoting the Star Trek expression and often using its hand gesture.

Tone and use: Warm, nerdy, and playful. Use it with someone who recognizes the Star Trek reference.

May not fit: It may confuse someone unfamiliar with the series; say “wishing you a long, happy life” instead.

Express boundless ambition or endless possibilities, quoting Toy Story.

Tone and use: Energetic, playful, and optimistic. Use it jokingly to encourage someone to keep pursuing a goal.

May not fit: It is a pop-culture quotation and can sound childish or exaggerated in a serious setting.