Idiom
Monday morning quarterback
Meanings
Someone who criticizes or second-guesses a decision after the outcome is known.
Definition
A “Monday morning quarterback” is someone who criticizes decisions after the outcome is already known.
A “Monday morning quarterback” is a person who gives advice or criticism about what should have been done after an event has ended. The idea is that it is easy to sound smart once you already know the result. The phrase is often used to suggest the criticism is unfair or unhelpful.
Examples
- Don’t be a Monday morning quarterback—the decision made sense with the information we had.
- After the game, every Monday morning quarterback in town said the coach should have changed the lineup.
- It’s easy to play Monday morning quarterback when you weren’t the one under pressure.
- She hates Monday morning quarterback comments about her presentation after it’s already over.
More at C1 level
- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
- come hell or high water No matter what happens or how difficult things become.
- brass monkeys “Brass monkeys” is used in the expression “cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey,” mea…
- get down to brass tacks To get down to brass tacks means to start discussing the most important practical details of someth…
- not cricket Used to say that something is unfair or unacceptable.
More nouns
- fifth wheel A fifth wheel is a person who feels unnecessary or left out in a group, especially with couples.
- long shot A long shot is something that has a very low chance of success.
- loose cannon A loose cannon is a person who behaves unpredictably and may cause trouble or harm.
- no-brainer A no-brainer is an obvious choice or decision that requires little or no thought.
- rain check A rain check is a promise to do something later or a coupon allowing you to buy something later at …