How do you say “Make a killing” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is se remplir les poches, which literally means “to fill one's pockets”. English speakers use make a killing to mean to make a very large profit. An informal French money expression. It can sound more critical, as though someone is enriching themselves at others’ expense. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
se remplir les poches
/sə ʁɑ̃pliʁ le pɔʃ/
- Literal meaning
- “to fill one's pockets”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
85 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
The full pockets make the financial gain clear. It works well when the speaker notices someone profiting from a convenient opportunity.
For a neutral account, “faire un gros bénéfice” means making a large profit. Use that if the pocket image would add unwanted disapproval.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
faire un gros bénéfice
Literally: “to make a large profit”
A plain alternative when the profit is not being criticised.
In context
English
The umbrella stall made a killing when rain hit the outdoor concert.
French
Le vendeur de parapluies s'est rempli les poches quand la pluie s'est invitée au concert en plein air.
English
She bought the old chair cheaply and made a killing when she sold it.
French
Elle a acheté la vieille chaise à bas prix et a fait un gros bénéfice en la revendant.
Related expressions
- What “Make a killing” means in English
- Bring home the bacon, to earn the money needed to support a household
Last updated 2026-10-01