it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: it isn't over 'til the fat lady sings · it ain't over until the fat lady sings · it isn't over till the fat lady sings · it isn't over until the fat lady sings · it's not over until the fat lady sings · it's not over 'til the fat lady sings · it's not over till the fat lady sings
There are more developments yet to come; one should not presume to know the outcome of an event which is still in progress.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings” mean?
There are more developments yet to come; one should not presume to know the outcome of an event which is still in progress.
Is “it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.