Too Good to Be True 🤩
Definition: Exaggeratedly optimistic; seeming so wonderful that something must be wrong with it. This cautious view is undoubtedly even older than its first expression in English, in the sixteenth century. Nevertheless, it has been repeated in the same form ever since, with only such slight variations as Mark Twain’s, “It’s too good for true, honey, it’s too good for true” (Huckleberry Finn, 1884). Shaw played on the expression in the title of his 1932 play Too True to Be Good. See also: too much of a good thing.
Synonyms:
- Overly idealistic
- Unrealistic
- Impossibly perfect
- Suspect
Antonyms:
- Realistic
- Believable
- Genuine
- Straightforward
Related Expressions:
- Too good to last
- All that glitters is not gold
- If it seems too perfect, it probably is
Humor-Filled Quote:
“When something seems too good to be true, it should definitely make you raise an eyebrow… and maybe show it to another person for a second opinion.” —Unknown Wiseguy
Proverbs and Sayings:
- “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, but insists on wearing a tuxedo, it’s probably too good to be true.” —An Old Mix-Up Truther
- “If the milk’s free, ask for the cow’s resume.”
Literary and Pop Culture References:
- Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: Well, it’s Twain, who artfully summarized a lot about human nature.
- Too True to Be Good by George Bernard Shaw: Because Shaw loved turning everything you thought you knew upside down.
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: Perfection can hide some monstrous truths.
Recommended Books:
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The shimmering illusion of the American Dream.
- An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde: Just read Wilde, it’s always a good idea.
Songs:
- “Too Good to Be True” by Louis Armstrong: Because who can argue with Satchmo?
- “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys: For that sunny, the-world-is-perfect feeling.
Movies:
- The Truman Show: Isn’t life’s serenity sometimes suspicious?
- La La Land: Just the right amount of dreaminess tipped with a pinch of harsh reality.
Poetry: “Dream-Poem” by Herman Melville: Dive into the poetic embrace and dream on!
Until next time, stay curious and enjoy every delightful illusion! Remember, questioning the glitter may reveal more gold beneath. 🌟🔍
Yours in curiosity,
Cee C. Curiosity
