The general intention behind telling someone to “break a leg” is to wish them good luck.
According to superstition, telling an actor or performer “good luck” directly is bad luck, so people say “break a leg” instead.
It can be tough to find a different phrase that matches the unique humor of “break a leg.” If you’re looking for a funny way to wish someone well, our list of funny alternatives to “break a leg” will come in handy.
Key Takeaways
- In the theater world, “break a leg” is the go-to way to wish someone good luck, and we wouldn’t recommend any better alternative.
- For other situations, though, you could say things like, “Go get ’em, tiger! Or kitten, if that’s more your style,” or “Make them wish they were you—minus the stress.” These phrases are sure to get a laugh.
- If you want to be funny while staying motivational, try saying, “Luck is for amateurs. You’ve got skill!”
People may have used the phrase “break a leg” in many different situations—even during birthday wishes.
“Break a leg” should only be said when someone is about to perform, give an important presentation, take an exam, or attend a screening or audition.
Even if you want to use a different, funny phrase, consider the situation to decide which best fits the situation. So, before we look at the full list, let’s ensure we all understand what “break a leg” means.
What Does “Break a Leg” Mean?
We say “break a leg” to wish someone success in whatever they’re about to do.
The phrase has a slightly negative tone because of its origins in theater, where wishing someone “good luck” was thought to bring bad luck.
Phrases like “do well,” “best of luck,” and “knock them dead” convey the same positive wishes, but none have the unique humor of “break a leg.”
List of Funny Alternatives to “Break a Leg”
- Blow them away.
- May the forces be with you.
- Knock ’em dead, but, you know, nicely.
- Knock on wood.
- Snap a shin!
- May your tibia tremble.
- Crush it… and your foot.
- Get out there and sprain something!
- Trip over talent.
- Smash it like a toe stub.
- Hobble to glory.
- Put your foot in it—literally!
- Take a tumble, and make it count.
- Ankle first; make it worth it.
- Give them a reason to call a medic.
- Break a leg, but not literally!
- The odds will favor you.
- Go make your ancestors proud!
- Don’t screw it up… just kidding, you got this!
- I hope you have a license for all that luck.
- Don’t worry; even potatoes eventually become fries.
- Remember, the floor is lava… but you’re a ninja.
- Luck is for amateurs. You’ve got skill.
- Let’s hope you impress even the skeptics.
- You’ve got the Midas touch, just without the gold mess.
- Make that magic happen, Christy.
- Channel your inner Beyoncé and slay.
- Remember, failure is just success in progress.
- May your swagger be as smooth as butter.
- It’s showtime—cue the applause!
- Don’t just survive; thrive… like a cockroach.
- If all else fails, blame it on Mercury in retrograde.
- Go get ‘em, tiger! Or kitten, if that’s more your style.
- Make ‘em wish they were you—minus the stress.
- Want to wish you good luck, but you won’t need it.
- The stick is thrown; go catch dawg.
- Fingers crossed.
- Mind-blowing should be the only acceptable remark after this.
- Hit your thumb if you don’t nail it.
- Spare no lives…..i mean, while impressing with your performance
- Go in there like you own the place (or at least rent it!).
- May your socks never slip inside your shoes.
- Let’em assumed you planned it all.
- Remember, if it goes wrong, it’s just character-building.
- May your “oops” turn into “wow” moments.
- Go show them why you’re the boss (at least in your dreams!).
- Good luck, gaddamit!
- Hobble to glory.
- Go make that magic happen.
- Trip over talent.
Don’t be in haste to choose any option from the list above.
Keep reading to understand what each phrase means, why it works well as a replacement for “break a leg,” and, most importantly, the best cases where you can find the favorite one you’ve picked.
1. Blow them away
It’s not always easy to explain a joke. That’s why they are funny, right? But yeah, when you ask someone to blow their audience away, you wish them a good performance. And it does sound more fun than “break a leg.”
2. May the forces be with you
Ever since I heard this phrase in the Star Wars movie (episode 5 – A New Hope), I can’t resist the urge to use it when someone is about to perform. It’s a much funnier alternative to “good luck,” if you ask me.
3. Knock ’em dead, but, you know, nicely
“Knock ’em dead, but, you know, nicely” sounds more casual and natural. Use it when someone is going to a debate or competition.
4. Knock on wood
In English, the phrase “knock on wood” is what you say when you hope for the person’s good luck to continue. But this time, in a hilarious manner.
5. Snap a shin!
If you like the colloquial tone of “break a leg” but don’t want to actually use those words, “snap a shin” is a wonderful alternative.
6. May your tibia tremble!
The tibia is the shinbone in the lower part of the leg. So this phrase is directly a synonym for “break a leg” but in a more funny and sophisticated tone.
7. Crush it… and your foot!
The comical side of “crush it…and your foot” is that you are telling them to perform well while still drawing reference from the “break a leg” joke.
8. Get out there and sprain something!
Instead of focusing on breaking legs, which can sound cliche, you can tell them to sprain something.
9. Trip over talent
It’s a nice attempt when you deliver humour with a poetic tone. Trip over talent is the perfect joke to crack when you wish someone well in their performance.
10. Smash it like a toe stub
Smashing something sounds like a funny way to say someone should perform well. So the phrase “smash it like a toe stub” will always cause a laugh.
11. Hobble to glory
If the person is shy or acting weird out of nervousness about doing a task, you can wish them to “hobble to glory.”
12. Put your foot in it—literally!
“Put your foot in it” is an idiomatic expression for doing something embarrassing. Adding taps on the idea of “break a leg.”
13. Take a tumble and make it count
You can take it up a notch and tell them that even if they fail in their endeavor, they should make it worth it. The only requirement is that you say it in a funny and witty way.
14. Ankle first, make it worth it!
Picture a boxer entering the ring. Saying “ankle first, make it count” is funnier than “break a leg.”
15. Give them a reason to call a medic
The consequence of breaking a leg is that a medic will be called. This is also an indirect but comical way to say good luck.
16. Go make that magic happen, Christy
It isn’t really a joke. But it sounds more friendly and casual than “break a leg,” even though both can crack a smile or laughter.
17. The odds will favor you
May the odds be ever in your favor sounds like a genuine heart-felt wish. But with the right tone and facial expression, it can be the funniest thing you’d say to someone as they embark on that interview.
18. Go make your ancestors proud!
Another way to channel your inner Michael Palin when wishing someone good luck is to tell them they are blessed by their ancestors.
19. Don’t screw it up… just kidding, you got this!
You will give a serious, stern face when you tell them, “don’t screw it up….” Then you open with a wide smile and say, “Just kidding, you got this.” Works every time.
20. I hope you have a license for all that luck
“ I hope you have a license for all that luck” is an indirect way to wish someone good luck as they attempt something, especially for the first time.
21. Don’t worry; even potatoes eventually become fries.
There’s something special about mixing proverbs with humor. This one is no exception. Say this and expect that cozy, uniform laughter from the group.
22. Remember, the floor is lava… but you’re a ninja
Attempting something may not be easy. You can motivate the person and still joke about it.
23. Luck is for amateurs. You’ve got skill!
If you want to be funny while staying motivational, try saying, “Luck is for amateurs. You’ve got skill!”
24. Let’s hope you impress even the skeptics!
The funniest part about this alternative phrase is your tone. It has a thread of sarcasm, but the real humor comes from doubting them and encouraging them.
25. You’ve got the Midas touch, just without the gold mess
If the person is really good at what they do and is about to take a quiz or launch a product, you can use this joke to wish them good luck.
26. Channel your inner Beyoncé and slay!
The sound of this phrase befits a context where someone is about to perform a dance or song, and you want to wish them good luck in a fun way.
27. Remember, failure is just success in progress!
Another way to wish someone to “break a leg” and sound funny is to remind them that failure is just success in progress. It serves as comfort in case they don’t perform up to expectations.
28. May your swagger be as smooth as butter
The use of terms like “swagger” and “smooth as butter” really pair well in a sentence to make a solid joke. This time, it doesn’t disappoint.
29. It’s showtime—cue the applause!
Yelling that people should cue the applause means that they should expect to be impressed with the person’s performance. It will surely call a good laugh or pass as sarcasm.
30. Don’t just survive; thrive… like a cockroach!
It may sound like a serious way to wish someone good luck when you say, “Don’t just survive; thrive.” But the real element of comedy in your phrase would be when you compare them to a cockroach.
31. If all else fails, blame it on Mercury in retrograde
This is a funny way to remind the person that you’re confident in their abilities.
32. Go get ‘em, tiger! Or kitten, if that’s more your style
Even without a context, “go get ’em, tiger! Or kitten, if that’s more your style,” sounds funny and would surely require a laugh.
33. Make ‘em wish they were you—minus the stress
You can tease them by joking about how they stress you but still wish them good luck in their performance.
34. Want to wish you good luck, but you won’t need it.
When you tell the person they won’t need your good luck wish, it means they already have it, and you feel positive about their performance.
35. The stick is thrown; go catch, dawg
Nobody likes it when you call them a “dog,” but this is a play on words. It may crack a nerve, but it’s surely worth the shot.
36. Fingers crossed
Crossing your fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for luck. You can add the eye-rolling to make it more humorous.
37. Mind-blowing should be the only acceptable remark after this.
When you wish someone good luck, you can mix assertiveness and comedy. This phrase helps you achieve that voice.
38. Hit your thumb if you don’t nail it
I use this one a lot because it’s witty and funny. Instead of telling them to nail it (do well), ask them to hit their thumb if they don’t (at least make it worthwhile even if you didn’t do well).
39. Spare no lives…..i mean, while impressing with your performance
The cool thing about cracking jokes is that you can say daring things like “Spare no lives.” As they try to bat their brow, you specify and add context. That’s the humor.
40. Go in there like you own the place (or at least rent it!)
You would really need the right delivery, from the tone to the facial expression, to make this one sound funny.
41. May your socks never slip inside your shoes.
It’s a terrible situation when your socks slip inside the shoes. That’s how awful it can be to flop a performance. If that’s the person’s case, you can use this phrase.
42. Let’em assumed you planned it all.
When it looks like the person planned their interviews or competition all along, it would mean that they prepared hard for this. So, this is a nice thing to say, funnily enough.
43. Remember, if it goes wrong, it’s just character-building
You can make light of possible outcomes that are otherwise heartbreaking. That’s why it sounds funnier and better than “break a leg” when wishing someone good luck.
44. May your “oops” turn into “wow” moments
“Oops” and “wow” are people’s honest reactions to events. This phrase allows you to wish the person does well genuinely.
45. Go show them why you’re the boss (at least in your dreams!)
Not everyone would appreciate a joke when they are about to embark on a milestone. But this one is somewhere between a joke and a genuine farewell.
46. Good luck, gaddamit!
You would need the right tone and countenance to deliver the irresistible humor in the phrase “good luck, goddamit.” You are yelling but in a pleasant way.
47. Hobble to glory
If the person is shy or acting weird out of nervousness about doing a task, you can wish them to “hobble to glory.”
48. Break a leg, but not literally!
The idea of wishing someone to break a leg is to say they do well, not actually to cause harm. So you can bring out the comedy by saying you don’t mean it literally.
49. Go make that magic happen
“Go make that magic happen” isn’t really a joke. But it sounds more friendly and casual than “break a leg,” even though both can crack a smile or laughter.
50. Trip over talent
Trip over talent is a humorous idiomatic expression that means one outperformed others in a competition or audition. It is a suitable funny alternative to “break a leg” when wishing someone Good luck.
Final Thoughts
Besides being funny, many alternative phrases for “break a leg” that we’ve included in this article feel more genuine when wishing someone well before a performance, interview, or any important event.
Just make sure to use the right facial expression and tone to make it all come together nicely.
If you’ve thought of other alternatives while reading, please share them in the comments. We might even update the article with your suggestions.
