Ace a Test: Meaning, Usage and Examples

Meaning 1：to ace (Ace (a test or exam))

Ace (a test or exam) 🔊

/eɪs/

To do very well in a test or exam, often getting a high or perfect score.

Student smiling at test paper with perfect score

to ace 🔊

➕

/tuː eɪs/

To perform exceptionally well on a test or exam, often achieving a perfect or near-perfect score.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'as' (unit). Later referred to the playing card 'ace', symbolizing top quality.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine an ace card with an 'A' on it – acing the test means getting an A.

📖 Example

After reviewing carefully, he aced the final exam and felt very proud. 🔊 After reviewing carefully, he aced the final exam and felt very proud.

🔗 Collocations

ace a test – to perform exceptionally well on a test

ace an exam – to achieve a high score on an exam

ace the interview – to impress and succeed in an interview

🔄 Synonyms

excel in (v.) – to do very well in a particular subject or activity

pass with flying colors (v. phrase) – to succeed easily and with a very high score

🚫 Antonyms

fail (v.) – to not succeed in a test or exam

flunk (v.) – to fail a test or course (informal)

🌱 Derivatives

aced (v.) – past tense of ace

acing (v.) – present participle of ace

ace (n.) – a person who is extremely skilled at something

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'as' (unit). In playing cards, ace is the highest, leading to its use for top performance, especially in exams from the 19th century.