Meaning & use
you are the goat
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseslanginformal
Used to say that someone is the greatest of all time, especially in a sport or skill.
Grammar: GOAT here stands for 'greatest of all time'; the phrase is usually written the GOAT in sports writing.
Patterns
- someone is the GOAT
- the GOAT of something
After that last-minute goal, the fans chanted, "You are the GOAT!"
My little brother fixed my laptop in ten minutes — honestly, you are the GOAT.
Many people call her the GOAT of women's tennis.
Common combinations
- the GOAT of basketball
- Plenty of commentators still call him the GOAT of basketball.
- call someone the GOAT
- Fans called the young striker the GOAT after his hat-trick.
- the undisputed GOAT
- After ten world titles, she is the undisputed GOAT of the sport.
- you're the GOAT
- Thanks for helping me move — you're the GOAT.
Synonyms and how they differ
- the greatest
- A plain, neutral way to say the same thing and safe in any situation.
- the best ever
- Everyday and clear; it keeps the meaning without the slangy acronym.
- legend
- Informal British praise for someone admirable, but it does not carry the 'of all time' idea.
Word family
- goat noun
- The animal; the slang use comes only from the acronym GOAT.
Commonly confused: you are the goat or goat?
you are the goat vs goat
The animal is a goat; in this phrase GOAT is an acronym for 'greatest of all time' and is often written in capitals.
Practice
A teammate scores the winning point and everyone wants to praise him as the best ever. What do they say?
Choose one answer.
The slang phrase needs 'the' before GOAT: 'you are the GOAT'. 'You are a goat' sounds like you are calling the person an animal, and the other options are ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “you are the goat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.