Been there, done that is a phrase that’s been around for approximately forty years, though the origin is in question. We will look at the meaning of the phrase been there, done that, where it came from, a popular, somewhat longer rendering of the term and some examples of its use in sentences.
Been there, done that is a phrase used to indicate that the speaker finds the subject in question boring, due to over-familiarity or repetition. The term has most probably evolved from a phrase that was popular in the late nineteenth century, been and gone and done it. Some believe that the term been there, done that first arose in America, others ascribe the origin of the phrase to Australia. By the 1980s, the phrase was well-known enough to be featured in a Pepsi advertising campaign. By the 1990s the phrase was often lengthened to been there, done that, got the T-shirt. The addition of got the T-shirt alludes to the fact that tourists and event-goers often by T-shirts emblazoned with logos pertaining to the experience. An even longer rendition has popped up as been there, done that, got the T-shirt, won the trophy.
Examples
“And now we have a bulk of juniors and seniors who have been there, done that, set some goals and worked really hard in the offseason.” (The Lee’s Summit Journal)
The paparazzi hounded the badshah but SRK has been there, done that; with AbRam settled in his arms, he calmly made his way out of the airport. (India Today)
Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, let’s start creating better roles that accurately depict people we know so closely. (The Los Angeles Times)