How do you say “A slam dunk” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is c'est du tout cuit, which literally means “it is already fully cooked”. English speakers use a slam dunk to mean something expected to succeed easily. An informal French equivalent for something thought to be easy and already as good as won. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
c'est du tout cuit
/sɛ dy tu kɥi/
- Literal meaning
- “it is already fully cooked”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
The cooking is already done: there seems to be little left to do. “C’est du tout cuit” suits a confident prediction of an easy win.
Keep “du tout” in the phrase. “C’est cuit” on its own can mean the opposite: it is over and the chance is lost.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
Common translation traps
c'est cuit
On its own, this can mean the chance is lost. “Du tout cuit” is the expression for an easy success.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in French.
In context
English
With three champions on our team, we thought the final was a slam dunk.
French
Avec trois champions dans notre équipe, on pensait que la finale, c'était du tout cuit.
English
Getting the grant is not a slam dunk; several strong teams have applied.
French
Obtenir la subvention, ce n'est pas du tout cuit : plusieurs équipes solides ont postulé.
Related expressions
- What “A slam dunk” means in English
- A walk in the park, something that is very easy to do
Last updated 2026-10-01