Did a friend say 'the grass is greener on the other side' when leaving your company for the competition? This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression 'grass is greener on the other side' means that things we don't have or desire always seem better than what we have in life at the time.
If the grass is greener on the other side, it means that you want what other people have, or you're upset with your current status or place in life and dream of more. It's a way of inadvertently saying you're not happy or grateful for your lot in life.
Example Usage
"We always think the grass is greener on the other side. Our human expectation helps us move forward with our lives in the hope of finding something better than what we have."
"The reality is the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Sometimes, you're walking into a trap."
"The grass is greener on the other side? Tell that to the millions of addicts living in America without hope for the future."
"I want to leave this job. The competition is headhunting me, and the grass is greener on the other side, according to the people I know that work for them."
"We often think the grass is greener on the other side, only to find that it's not what we expect. Sometimes it's good to be grateful for what you have."
"She thought the grass was greener on the other side, so I let her go. Now she's texting me, saying she wants to come back. I told her it's too late."
"The grass is greener on the other side. Trust me, take a minute to check it out, and you'll understand what I'm talking about, I promise."
Origin
'The grass is greener on the other side' originates from the Greek poet Ovid. Ovid was a contemporary thinker living in the first century B.C. The original version of the saying is, 'the harvest is always richer in another man's field.'
The modern use of the saying derives from an American folk song by Richard A. Whiting and Raymond B. Egan, written in 1924. The song's title is 'The Grass Is Always Greener in the Other Fellow's Yard.' The expression appears in the chorus as follows.
The grass is always greener
In the other fellow’s yard.
The little row
We have to hoe,
Oh boy that’s hard.
But if we all could wear
Green glasses now,
It wouldn’t be so hard
To see how green the grass is
In our own backyard.
Phrases Similar to Grass is Greener on the other Side
- Things look better over there.
Phrases Opposite to Grass is Greener on the other Side
- The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
What is the Correct Saying?
- The grass is greener on the other side.
Ways People May Say Grass is Greener on the other Side Incorrectly
The phrase has nothing to do with green grass. The grass in the expression refers to your expectations, and the fact that it's greener means that you expect a favorable outcome. Using the term to describe lawn management is incorrect.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Grass is Greener on the other Side
You can use the expression 'the grass is greener on the other side' in social and professional conversations. For instance, if a colleague plans to leave the company for another job, you could say the grass is greener on the other side to describe their attitude toward their current job and the hope of receiving a better position at their new company.
You could use 'the grass is greener on the other side' to describe social situations where you think you'll get more value out of doing something other than what you're doing now. It's common for people to use 'the grass isn't always greener on the other side' to describe mismanaged expectations.