Meaning: This idiom means to free oneself from a persistent problem, burden, or source of stress that has been troubling or hindering them.
Usage in Example Sentences:
- “I’ve finally paid off my debt, and it feels great to get that monkey off my back.”
- “He needed to get that monkey off his back by quitting his bad habit once and for all.”
- “After finishing her thesis, she felt relieved to get that monkey off her back.”
Origin: The origin of the idiom “get that monkey off my back” is believed to be from the mid-20th century. The phrase likely comes from the image of a monkey clinging to a person’s back, symbolizing a burdensome and persistent problem that is difficult to shake off. It was popularized in the context of overcoming addiction or other long-standing issues, where the “monkey” represents the burden or dependency that a person struggles to eliminate. Over time, the idiom has come to refer to any persistent problem or source of stress that one needs to remove in order to find relief and move forward.
