Cool MateFortune vs That's a king's ransom
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Fortune
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
That's a king's ransom
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Fortune
| Fortune | That's a king's ransom | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɔːtʃuːn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɔːrtʃən/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ə kɪŋz ˈrænsəm//🇺🇸 //ðæts ə kɪŋz ˈrænsəm// |
| Meaning | A lot of money or good luck. | An extremely large amount of money. |
| Example | She decided to test her fortune by playing the lottery. | The painting sold for a king's ransom at the auction. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | considerable, enormous, great, accumulate, acquire, amass, hunter, fortune from, fortune in, fortune on, fame and fortune, heir to a fortune, heiress to a fortune, good, bad, ill, piece, stroke, have, bring (somebody), be on somebody’s side, favour/favor somebody, smile on somebody, as good fortune would have it, a change in fortune, a change of fortune, declining, flagging, changing, boost, improve, revive, change, fluctuate, improve, a reversal of fortune, a reversal of fortunes, read, tell, teller, telling | pay a king's ransom, cost a king's ransom, worth a king's ransom |
| Antonyms | poverty, misfortune | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'fortuitous' — relates to chance, not wealth., Placing 'a' before 'fortune' when referencing large amounts, e.g., 'a fortune' not 'fortune'. | Confused with 'king's fortune' - it's specifically a 'ransom'., Used incorrectly for small amounts of money. |
| Usage notes | Used in contexts related to wealth or luck. Not typically used in formal business conversations. | Used to describe something very expensive. Can be used in both formal and informal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Fortune vs That's a king's ransom
What's the difference between Fortune and That's a king's ransom?
Fortune: A lot of money or good luck. That's a king's ransom: An extremely large amount of money.
Which is more common: Fortune and That's a king's ransom?
Fortune is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Fortune: She decided to test her fortune by playing the lottery. That's a king's ransom: The painting sold for a king's ransom at the auction.
Can I use Fortune and That's a king's ransom interchangeably?
Not always. Fortune and That's a king's ransom are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.