Meaning & use
making bank
Last updated
UK/ˌmeɪkɪŋ ˈbæŋk/
US/ˌmeɪkɪŋ ˈbæŋk/
Meaning
phraseidiominformalslang
Earning a large amount of money, often quickly or easily.
Grammar: Used in the continuous form with a subject: she's making bank.
Patterns
- be making bank
- make bank from something
Her little online shop is making bank this holiday season.
He's making bank as a software contractor.
Food trucks are making bank at the festival.
Common combinations
- be making bank
- The band is making bank on tour.
- making bank on something
- They're making bank on souvenirs.
- really making bank
- Sellers were really making bank last weekend.
- making bank with
- She's making bank with her streaming channel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cashing in
- Cashing in means taking advantage of a chance to earn, while making bank stresses the large amount.
- raking it in
- Raking it in is very close in meaning but older and used in many English varieties.
- earning
- Earning is neutral and does not suggest a big amount.
- profiting
- Profiting is more formal and focuses on gain after costs.
Opposites
going broke
Word family
- make bank phrase
- to earn a lot of money
- bank noun
- an institution that holds money
- banking noun
- the business of banks
Commonly confused: making bank or banking?
making bank vs banking
Banking means doing business with a bank, such as saving or sending money, not earning large sums.
Practice
If someone says, "Dana is making bank at her new job," what do they mean?
Choose one answer.
Making bank is slang for earning plenty. The other options misread bank literally.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “making bank”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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