Close but no Cigar Idiom: Meaning, Origin, Usage & Exercises

Sometimes, in life, we nearly win or achieve something, only to fall just short at the end. One powerful and common idiom in IELTS Speaking that describes such moments is ‘close but no cigar’. 

This blog explores the meaning, origin, and IELTS-specific usage of the 'close but no cigar' idiom, along with exercises to solidify your understanding.

Close but no Cigar Idiom: Meaning

The meaning of the idiom ‘close but no cigar’ is as follows:

• Be very close to accomplishing a goal but fall short
• Almost successful in doing something, but not quite
• Fall just short of a desired outcome, and get nothing for the efforts
• Nearly, but not completely correct

Origin of Close but no Cigar Idiom

The idiom ‘close but no cigar’ originated in the early 20th century in the United States, where cigars were given as prizes at carnival games. If someone came close to winning but failed, the game operator would say: "Close, but no cigar!"

The earliest printed record of the phrase that we can find is in the Long Island Daily Press on May 18, 1929, with the idiom appearing as the headline of the article titled “Close; But No Cigar”, about a man named Hugo Straub who ended second in two presidential races he was running that finished in the same week.

As amusement parks evolved, the phrase was adopted into everyday speech to signify falling just short of success.

Close but no Cigar Idiom Usage

The idiom, close but no cigar, captures the frustration of coming very near to success - in competitions, exams, sports, or interviews - but ultimately not achieving it. So, let us go through some examples that will help you learn the idiom effectively and achieve your desired IELTS band score.

• The home team played well, but lost because of a goal scored in the last minute. Close but no cigar, as they say.
• Close but no cigar, I missed first place in the hundred metre sprint by a tenth of a second. 
• He scored 6.5 on his IELTS Speaking test—close but no cigar for his dream university that required a 7.0.
• The team reached the finals but lost by one point. Close, but no cigar.
• She was the runner-up for the job. Close but no cigar after four interview rounds.

Close but no Cigar Idiom: Detailed Usage in IELTS Contexts

Now, it is time to explore how the ‘close but no cigar’ idiom can be applied effectively across various IELTS exam contexts, with sample answers tailored to common topics.

IELTS Speaking Part 1

• Question: Do you consider yourself a competitive person?
• Answer: “ Yes, especially when it comes to quizzes and puzzles. Just last week, I participated in a local trivia night. I came second—close but no cigar. I was just one point behind the winner. It was frustrating but also kind of motivating.”

IELTS Speaking Part 2

• Cue Card Topic: Describe a time when you nearly achieved something but failed in the end.

• Answer Excerpt: After multiple rounds, I made it to the final selection stage. Sadly, I wasn’t chosen. The feedback said I was among the top five candidates but didn’t make the final cut. So it was definitely a case of close but no cigar—I almost succeeded, but not quite. 

Close but no Cigar Idiom: Practice Exercise

Take the following exercises, which will help you learn the correct usage of the idiom ‘close but no cigar’, allowing you to understand its meaning and application.

1 What does the idiom ‘close but no cigar’ mean?

A You won a small reward instead of a big one

B You nearly succeeded but fell short

C You failed due to lack of effort

D You were punished for winning unfairly

2 In which context would ‘close but no cigar’ NOT make sense?

A A tennis player narrowly loses a final match

B A student gets 39 out of 40 on a test and misses the top prize

C A man forgets to bring cigars to a party

D A designer’s logo almost gets chosen in a branding contest

3 Choose the most appropriate synonym for 'close but no cigar' from the following phrases.

A Cut corners

B Narrow victory

C (Going) cold turkey

D Near miss

4 She was shortlisted for the award, but she didn’t win.

5 He nearly passed his driving test, but failed on the parallel parking part.

Close but no Cigar Idiom: Answer Key for Practice Exercise

To conclude, the idiom ‘close but no cigar’ is a powerful way to express near success and disappointment in a single breath. Use this idiom sparingly and appropriately in Speaking Part 2 when recounting personal failure, and avoid using it in writing tasks, except for discussing competition, effort, or goal-setting. Practice with real scenarios, experiment in your speaking responses for IELTS Speaking practice tests, and analyse tone differences.

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• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0-9.0: Practice Exercises and Answer Key (Part 1)
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• How to Improve Your Vocabulary Score in IELTS Writing and Speaking?
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