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grass is always greener on the other side, the

grass is always greener on the other side, the idiom

A different situation always seems better than one's own. For example, Bob always thinks the grass is greener elsewhere, which accounts for his constant job changes. This expression, an ancient proverb cited by Erasmus in the 15th century, is so well known that it is often shortened.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.