victory lap

Noun

victory lap (plural victory laps)

1. A celebratory extra lap of the race track taken after the conclusion of a race.

   Synonyms:

   lap of honour

2. (figuratively) An act of pride or celebration that follows a great achievement or success.
   • But inflation has previously slowed and then picked back up, and the Fed is not yet ready to take a victory lap. Mr. Powell said officials would be watching incoming data ahead of the Fed’s Sept. 20 meeting to decide whether they need to raise interest rates further at that gathering.2023 July 26, Jeanna Smialek, “Fed Raises Rates After a Pause and Leaves Door Open to More”, in The New York Times
   • “All of you” refers to the 14,000 fans who have sold out Glasgow’s OVO Hydro arena, and are singing, crying and dancing alongside [Olivia] Dean on the first night of her ‘The Art of Loving Live’ tour – which is already poised as a victory lap after her stratospheric 2025.2026 April 23, Hannah Mylrea, “Olivia Dean live in Glasgow: a new popstar’s victory lap”, in NME
3. (Canada, US, slang) One or more years of study beyond the traditional four taken to complete one's undergraduate degree.
   • It’s not just finances that lead to victory laps. Those who study abroad during undergraduate may find it difficult to earn enough credits to fulfill degree requirements in four years.2013 February 25, Vivien Chang, “The myth of the four-year degree”, in Maclean's
   • McNaughton continues, “I took a stroll underneath it before freshman year and I am going to be taking a victory lap.”2017 April 1, Peter Lenz, “The Clock Tower: The History, The Myths, and More”, in The Racquet
4. (Canada, Ontario, slang) One or more additional years of study in high school.
   • An examination of the data generated by the survey instrument revealed the existence of a definitive gender disparity between the two groups in that 47.8% (22 of 46) of male respondents reported having taken a victory lap compared to 20.2% (21 of 104) of their female counterparts.2010 November 18, Patrick Brady, Philip Allingham, “Pathways to University: The ‘Victory Lap’ Phenomenon in Ontario”, in Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, number 113
   • Each year as many as 20,000 students head back for a so-called victory lap in Ontario's classrooms, which prompted the province to implement a 34-credit cap in a bid to save up to $22 million annually.2012 April 9, Teri Pecoskie, “A cap on the victory lap”, in Hamilton Spectator