home run

IPA/ˌhəʊm ˈrʌn/
IPA/ˌhəʊm ˈrʌn/

home run — noun

1. a baseball scoring play in which the player who strikes the ball advances around

1.名詞B1
釋義

a baseball scoring play in which the player who strikes the ball advances around every base and reaches the starting plate, counting as one run for the team.

例句

Nora hit a home run that cleared the fence and brought two teammates home.

hit a home run

The crowd roared when the batter sent a home run into the upper deck.

同義詞
  • homer

    informal short form, very common among baseball fans and commentators

  • four-bagger

    older, less common slang for a home run, rarely used today

  • dinger

    informal slang, used mainly in North American sports commentary

反義詞
  • strikeout

    the opposite outcome for a batter — failing to hit the ball and being called out

文法句型

hit a home run

score a home run

用法筆記

This sense is specific to baseball. In other bat-and-ball sports (e.g. cricket, softball) the scoring term is different. The subject is usually a player or the hit itself.

常見錯誤

❌The player made a home goal.
✅The player hit a home run.
💡In baseball the correct term is 'home run', not 'home goal'.
❌He ran a home run.
✅He hit a home run.
💡The batter hits the ball; the scoring play itself is called a home run.

2. an activity, event, or piece of work that is extremely successful and fully achi

2.名詞B2
釋義

an activity, event, or piece of work that is extremely successful and fully achieves what was hoped for — for example, a product that sells far beyond expectations, or a presentation that wins over everyone in the room.

例句

The marketing team's new campaign was a home run, doubling sales in just three months.

figurative: campaign + home run

Lucía knew her talk was a home run when the CEO praised every slide.

同義詞
  • smash hit

    stronger emphasis on popularity and public approval; more common in entertainment contexts

  • triumph

    more formal; implies overcoming difficulty or opposition

  • grand slam

    even stronger metaphor from baseball; suggests complete, overwhelming success across multiple areas

反義詞
  • failure

    direct opposite — something that does not achieve its goal

  • flop

    informal; a complete failure, especially in entertainment or business

文法句型

something is a home run

something turns out to be a home run

用法筆記

Common in business, entertainment, and informal speech. Often used with the verbs 'hit', 'be', 'turn out to be', or 'prove to be'. Unlike the baseball sense, this figurative use is not limited to American English speakers but is most common in North America.

常見錯誤

❌My exam was a home run.' (when you simply passed)
✅My business pitch was a home run.
💡'Home run' in figurative use means outstanding, spectacular success, not just adequate performance.
❌She ran a home run in her career.
✅Her new project was a home run.
💡The figurative use is a noun, not a verb phrase.

3. the final part of a long process or task, especially one that requires effort to

3.名詞C1
釋義

the final part of a long process or task, especially one that requires effort to finish well.

例句

Aoi entered the home run of her marathon preparation after six months of training.

in the home run of something

Delays in the home run of the construction project forced the team to work overtime.

in the home run of [something]: postmodifier pattern

同義詞
  • home stretch

    the more common idiom for the final part of a process or journey

  • final leg

    neutral term for the last section of a journey or process

文法句型

in the home run of something

the home run of something

用法筆記

Rare compared with the two main senses. The 'final stage' meaning is more commonly expressed by the idiom 'home stretch' or 'the final leg'. This sense probably developed from the baseball idea of a runner 'heading home' toward the final base.