Meaning & use
on cloud nine
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformalfigurative
Extremely happy and delighted, usually because of a piece of good news or a big success.
Grammar: Used after a verb such as be or feel: she was on cloud nine.
Patterns
- be on cloud nine
- feel on cloud nine
- be on cloud nine about something
She was on cloud nine after she learned she had passed her driving test.
He has been on cloud nine ever since the baby was born.
The whole team was on cloud nine after winning the championship.
Common combinations
- be on cloud nine
- The newlyweds were on cloud nine.
- feel on cloud nine
- I felt on cloud nine all week.
- still on cloud nine
- He was still on cloud nine the next morning.
- on cloud nine after
- She was on cloud nine after the audition.
Synonyms and how they differ
- over the moon
- Over the moon is nearly identical in meaning, but is more British and often used for sudden good news.
- elated
- Elated is a single formal adjective for great joy, while on cloud nine is a casual, picture-based idiom.
- thrilled
- Thrilled can describe a brief reaction, whereas on cloud nine suggests a lasting glow of happiness.
- walking on air
- Walking on air stresses the light, floating feeling, and is a little more poetic.
Opposites
Word family
- cloud noun
- a mass of water droplets in the sky
- nine number
- the number after eight
Commonly confused: on cloud nine or in seventh heaven?
on cloud nine vs in seventh heaven
This is a similar idiom with the same meaning, but it uses in, not on.
Practice
After hearing she had won the scholarship, Maria was ___.
Choose one answer.
On cloud nine means extremely happy, which fits good news. Under the weather means ill and in hot water means in trouble.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “on cloud nine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.