Grail
What it means
A supremely desirable but difficult goal or discovery.
Reach for it when describing a long pursuit whose importance and elusiveness are both real
A safe, affordable battery remains the field's grail.
Words to choose between 7
| warm | |
|---|---|
| professional | |
| literary |
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warm
Fits when personal hope matters more than strategic precision
Careful Dream can remain imaginary and may not guide serious work.
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warm
long-sought prize
Fits when years of effort make attainment feel rewarding
Careful Prize implies a winner or reward rather than a discovery.
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professional
Fits when a decisive discovery removes a known barrier
Careful Breakthrough is the event or result, whereas a grail can remain unfound.
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professional
elusive goal
Fits when difficulty of attainment deserves explicit emphasis
Careful Elusive goal lacks the cultural and near-sacred weight of grail.
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professional
ultimate goal
Fits when plain language should name the highest objective
Careful Ultimate goal may be fully achievable and lacks the grail's elusiveness.
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literary
Fits when the highest achieved point is what matters
Careful Pinnacle usually names a summit already reached, not an object of pursuit.
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literary
Fits when great value and the romance of searching are central
Careful Treasure may be material; it lacks the sense of an ultimate goal.
Opposites 3
- dead end
- distraction
- consolation prize
Common phrases 3
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holy grail
A recyclable adhesive is the holy grail of the current materials program.
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elusive grail
The elusive grail drew new teams into the research challenge.
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seek the grail
Engineers seek the grail without promising when it will arrive.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Grail draws on a Christian and Arthurian sacred object and can overstate an ordinary product goal.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated