idiom · neutral
strike while the iron is hot
UK/straɪk waɪl ðə ˈaɪən ɪz hɒt/US/straɪk waɪl ðə ˈaɪərn ɪz hɑt/STRIKE
to take quick action to use an opportunity while it is still available.
Examples
“When the university offered her a scholarship, she struck while the iron was hot and accepted.”
“The start-up struck while the iron was hot and launched its product before competitors could copy it.”
“Seeing a gap in the market, they decided to strike while the iron was hot and expand quickly.”
Band 8 sentence
“When our pilot campaign showed strong demand, we struck while the iron was hot and scaled production immediately, which secured our market lead.”
Collocations
- strike while the iron is hot + act/decide/launch
- strike while the iron is hot + opportunity/moment
Word family
Common mistakes
strike while iron is hot→strike while the iron is hot
hit the iron while it's hot→strike while the iron is hot
strike while the iron is warm→strike while the iron is hot
Say it for a higher band
5take a chance→6grab an opportunity→7+strike while the iron is hot
Synonyms
seize the moment
Easily confused
take the bull by the horns
“When the deadline loomed, she took the bull by the horns and reorganised the team.”
Related words
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In Success
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