behind every successful man there stands a woman

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /bɪˈhaɪnd ˌɛvɹi səkˈsɛsfl̩ ˈmæn ðɛə ˈstændz ə ˈwʊmən/, /bə-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /bɪˈhaɪnd ˌɛvɹi səkˈsɛsfl̩ ˈmæn ðɛɚ ˈstændz ə ˈwʊmən/
• Hyphenation: be‧hind eve‧ry suc‧cess‧ful man there stands a wo‧man

• Audio (US, male voice):

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• Audio (US, female voice):

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behind every successful man there stands a woman

1. A man’s achievements are made possible by the support and work of their wife or female partner.

   Synonyms: behind every great man is a great woman, behind every great man there stands a woman

• The intention of the saying is not so much as to make a factual observation, but to acknowledge the support that normally remains behind the scenes.

• one hair of a woman can draw more than a hundred pair of oxen
• the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world

• “behind every great/successful man there stands a woman”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• Gary Martin (1997–) “Behind every great man there's a great woman”, in The Phrase Finder.