What does ‘cut the mustard’ mean?
To “cut the mustard” means to meet expectations or perform adequately. A late 19th- or early 20th-century American idiom; the origin is uncertain and Brewer's 1898 does not record it.
Origin
- A late 19th- or early 20th-century American idiom; the origin is uncertain and Brewer's 1898 does not record it.
How to use it
- Usually used in the negative ('can't cut the mustard').
- Example: The new hire couldn't cut the mustard.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.