Meaning & use
Rome wasn't built overnight
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Used to say that important things take a long time to achieve and you should not expect quick results.
Grammar: Used as a complete sentence or clause; often introduced by 'Remember,' or 'They say'.
Patterns
- Rome wasn't built overnight
- Rome wasn't built in a day
Learning a language takes years—remember, Rome wasn't built overnight.
Don't be discouraged by slow progress; Rome wasn't built overnight.
She told her team that Rome wasn't built overnight and they needed to be patient.
Common combinations
- Rome wasn't built in a day
- The more common variant is 'Rome wasn't built in a day'.
- remember that Rome wasn't built overnight
- Remember that Rome wasn't built overnight, so keep practicing.
- as they say, Rome wasn't built overnight
- As they say, Rome wasn't built overnight, so we'll keep working.
Synonyms and how they differ
- patience is a virtue
- A general saying about waiting calmly; 'Rome wasn't built overnight' focuses on big achievements taking time.
- good things come to those who wait
- Encourages patience for a reward; 'Rome wasn't built overnight' is about the time needed to build something great.
Commonly confused: Rome wasn't built overnight or Rome wasn't built in a day?
Rome wasn't built overnight vs Rome wasn't built in a day
This is the same proverb with 'in a day' instead of 'overnight'; both are correct, but 'in a day' is more common.
Practice
When would you say 'Rome wasn't built overnight'?
Choose one answer.
The proverb is used to encourage patience when progress is slow. Option 0 and option 2 express impatience, which is the opposite, and option 3 takes the saying literally, which is not its meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Rome wasn't built overnight”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.