Hard work trumps talent when talent slumbers.

Meaning: This sentence means that if a talented person is lazy, someone with less talent but who works hard can achieve more.

Choice of Words: Hard work means putting in a lot of effort and dedication. Trump means to defeat or win a competition. Talent means a natural ability to do something well. Slumber means to sleep deeply. When you put them together, "Hard work trumps talent when talent slumbers" means that hard work and dedication can overcome natural talent if the talented person is not working hard.

Alternative Expressions

Hard work is more important than talent when talent is not being used.

Meaning: This means that if you work hard, you can achieve more than someone who has natural talent but is not using it.

Choice of Words: Hard work means putting in effort and dedication to a task. Talent is a natural ability or skill. Trumps means to defeat or overcome something. Slumbers means to sleep or be inactive.

When someone with talent is not using it, hard work is more likely to succeed.

Meaning: This means that if someone has talent but is not using it, someone who works hard is more likely to be successful.

Choice of Words: Someone refers to a person who is not specified. Talent is a natural ability or skill. Using means to put something into action. Hard work means putting in effort and dedication to a task. Succeed means to achieve a desired outcome.

Even if someone has natural talent, if they don't work hard, they will not be as successful as someone who does work hard.

Meaning: This means that natural talent is not enough to guarantee success. Hard work is also necessary.

Choice of Words: Even if means despite something being true. Natural talent means a skill or ability that someone is born with. Work hard means to put in effort and dedication to a task. Successful means to achieve a desired outcome.

Related Expressions