past your sell-by date

pass your sell-by date

If you say that someone or something is past their sell-by date or has passed their sell-by date, you are saying that they are no longer useful, successful, or relevant. These expressions are used in British English. Other verbs can be used instead of `pass'.

One critic said that when a black artist's audience is mainly white, he's past his sell-by date.

The feeling is that the broad-shouldered `power dressing' of the Eighties has passed its sell-by date.

Critics of the monarchy say it has reached its sell-by date.