phrase🎓 English idiom

under your belt

gained as useful experience

What it means

Used to describe experience, skills, or achievements that you have gained and can rely on. It often refers to things successfully completed that strengthen your position.

Examples

  • With a degree under her belt, she felt ready to apply for jobs.
  • Once you have a few sales under your belt, the work gets easier.
  • He has two marathons under his belt and is training for a third.
  • After a year of experience under my belt, I asked for more responsibility.

Where it comes from

The phrase comes from the literal idea of food eaten and held in the stomach behind one's belt, later extended to anything safely acquired or accomplished.

Related idioms

#go the extra mile#the whole nine yards#cut the mustard#up to scratch

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