tough act to follow

Someone or something so exemplary that it overshadows anything that follows. I don't know how Mel's replacement will be received by the staff. He was so admired and respected that he'll be a tough act to follow. That award-winning play will be a tough act to follow on Broadway.

tough act to follow

and hard act to follow

Fig. a difficult presentation or performance to follow or improve upon with one's own performance. Bill's speech was excellent. It was a tough act to follow, but my speech was good also. In spite of the fact that I had a tough act to follow, I did my best.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Zsuzsanna	ZHOO-zhawn-naw	Hungarian
Alexander	a-lig-ZAN-dər (English), ah-lek-SAHN-der (German), ah-lək-SAHN-dər (Dutch), AW-lek-sawn-der (Hungarian)	English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient
Hailey	HAY-lee	English (Modern)
Tavish	-	Scottish
KĘStutis	-	Lithuanian
Malcom	['mælkəm]