crest of the wave
- idiom
- Informal
:
en la cima del éxito
- She is at the crest of the wave in her career, with numerous awards and recognitions.
Examples
-
They're on the crest of the wave, and they know it.
Fiction book (1993) -
The band is currently on the crest of the wave, enjoying their biggest hit to date.
-
After winning the championship, the team felt they were on the crest of the wave of success.
Synonyms
368
2.1
The highest point something reaches, like a mountain or an achievement
161
4.1
A very successful level in entertainment or sport where people become famous
31
5.8
The highest point of success or achievement
31
5.8
A time when someone or something is most successful
29
2.8
Feeling very happy and successful
15
3.3
Something is at its strongest, most successful, or most intense
12
4.9
The highest level of achievement in a career or field
11
4.6
A moment when a person has their greatest success in life or work
7
6.2
The highest point of success or power
4
4.2
The highest point something reaches, like water level or success
2
4.2
The highest point of someone's career or success
1
5.6
The highest level of success in a job or field
Antonyms
How Successful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase maps directly onto the literal meanings of its parts: 'crest' = summit/peak and 'wave' = a surge or period of activity, so 'crest of the wave' denotes the peak of a surge. This metaphorical extension to success/popularity follows a transparent compositional pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Crest of the wave comes from the image of a sea wave, where the crest is the very top of the wave. So when someone is on the crest of the wave, they are at the very top of their success, meaning 'at the highest point of success or popularity'.