Idiom
Jump on the bandwagon
To jump on the bandwagon is to join an activity, trend or opinion because it has become popular or successful.
How people use it
People use it for fans who suddenly support a winning team, companies that copy a trend or anyone who follows the crowd (everyone jumped on the bandwagon when the diet became popular). It is informal and often slightly critical, suggesting the person is joining for popularity rather than real belief. Common verbs include jump, hop, climb and get. A bandwagon fan is someone who supports whichever team is winning.
Also said: get on the bandwagon, hop on the bandwagon, climb on the bandwagon.
Examples
- When the town's team reached the finals, half the city jumped on the bandwagon.
- Lots of cafes hopped on the bandwagon and added avocado toast to their menus.
- Priya refuses to jump on the bandwagon until she has read the reviews herself.
Where it comes from
In 1800s America, a bandwagon was a large wagon that carried musicians in a circus parade. Election campaigns borrowed the idea, with candidates riding bandwagons through towns, and supporters who wanted to be linked with a likely winner climbed aboard. By about 1900, jumping on the bandwagon meant joining any cause that looked popular.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean to jump on the bandwagon?
Answer: To join something because it is popular. Jump on the bandwagon means following a popular trend or side, often for the popularity itself.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: After the show won awards, everyone jumped on the bandwagon and started watching it.. People joining once the show was popular is the meaning. Liking something early is the opposite, and loading drums is literal.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in BANDWAGON.