in like Flynn

English

Etymology

Perhaps referring to Errol Flynn, Australian actor known for womanizing, or Edward J. Flynn, successful campaign manager for Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Adjective

in like Flynn (not comparable)

1. (slang, originally US) Having achieved a goal or gained access as desired.
   • 2009 June 4, Michael Wolff, “The Power and the Story”, in Vanity Fair‎^[1]:

     [Robert] Gibbs is perfectly affable and even, in his way, courtly. And yet he seems to be not quite listening. Nothing touches him. This is no doubt partly because everybody understands he's in like Flynn.

Trivia

Errol Flynn was reportedly so fond of this expression that he wanted to use the title In Like Me for his autobiography (it was eventually published as My Wicked, Wicked Ways).

Further reading

• Jonathon Green (2024) “in like Flynn phr.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang
• Michael Quinion (1996–2024) “In like Flynn”, in World Wide Words.