[Ads-l] beyond the stratosphere

[Charles C Rice]

If only the stratosphere had numerical layers, we could look forward to "3rd stratosphere" and "7th stratosphere" and beyond...
________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Ben Zimmer <00001aae0710f4b7-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2026 9:45 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: beyond the stratosphere

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This usage goes back further than I would have guessed. The recency
illusion strikes again.

---
Houston Chronicle, Sept. 29, 1964, p. III1, col. 4
Poppy Cannon, "The Fast Gourmet: A Dessert That's Esoteric and Easy"
Rather sweet in the Spanish tradition like a rich preserve, this dessert
enters another stratosphere if you serve alongside a section of fresh lemon
or lime.
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newspapers.com%2Farticle%2Fthe-houston-chronicle-another-stratosphe%2F194006856%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270223944%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iN4lr1aYESvmj%2FpEO90h36qS5jOrxzxxZ9ykk%2Bd68XU%3D&reserved=0<https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle-another-stratosphe/194006856/>
---

On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 4:02 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've noticed the figurative use of "stratosphere" (for the highest level
> of some area of achievement) has lately become even more hyperbolic. It's
> not enough for someone or something to simply be "in the stratosphere" --
> now it has to enter "another stratosphere" or "a whole new stratosphere" or
> "an even bigger stratosphere." The usage is particularly popular in sports
> and entertainment reporting.
>
> * "another stratosphere"
>
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fsports%2Fbasketball%2Fcaitlin-clark-has-taken-the-wnba-into-another-stratosphere-now-shes-bringing-her-game-there%2Farticle_4a101dc2-5fbb-11ef-b7f7-dfcb2a0142c9.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270250810%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=b%2BbCsSP1zo2UnEPkwkNlIOfF797%2FqCeHXvjI7j%2BPijY%3D&reserved=0<https://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/caitlin-clark-has-taken-the-wnba-into-another-stratosphere-now-shes-bringing-her-game-there/article_4a101dc2-5fbb-11ef-b7f7-dfcb2a0142c9.html>
> Toronto Star, Aug. 22, 2024
> Caitlin Clark has taken the WNBA into another stratosphere. Now she's
> bringing her game there too. [...] Garnett added a rocket-ship emoji, as if
> to prognosticate her impending takeoff to another stratosphere.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2024%2F12%2Fnate-bargatze-washingtons-dream-snl-sketch-1236243356%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270270047%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q6CsGGQv3tIwE99PgSzq55RPJp02tlpzLWox%2BZR6fd4%3D&reserved=0<https://deadline.com/2024/12/nate-bargatze-washingtons-dream-snl-sketch-1236243356/>
> Deadline, Dec. 29, 2024
> The sketch, which Bargatze -- now the top-grossing comic in the world --
> has said launched his career into another stratosphere, almost didn't make
> the cut, especially after it bombed during SNL‘s table read.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhl.com%2Fnews%2Fcanadiens-capitals-anticipate-bell-centre-playoff-atmosphere&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270288619%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3g%2FtSmHUoeYcAXYciJmAONAWI1q5V9DMGoXtgPK5eh8%3D&reserved=0<https://www.nhl.com/news/canadiens-capitals-anticipate-bell-centre-playoff-atmosphere>
> NHL.com, Apr. 24, 2025
> [Brian Gionta:] "For me, there was no better place to play a playoff game.
> It takes the regular season, which you think can't get any better, into
> another stratosphere."
> ---
>
> * "a(n even) bigger stratosphere"
>
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.orlandosentinel.com%2F2020%2F12%2F02%2Fwith-groundbreaking-deals-with-mcdonalds-nike-and-fortnite-rapper-travis-scott-reportedly-grossed-100-million%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270306704%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=odBN3KKpjsUoNmTkejJh4guOVHWhmgvSBRf8HLDa21g%3D&reserved=0<https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2020/12/02/with-groundbreaking-deals-with-mcdonalds-nike-and-fortnite-rapper-travis-scott-reportedly-grossed-100-million/>
> Orlando Sentinel, Dec. 2, 2020
> Though Scott's first album, "Rodeo," released in 2015, was a
> platinum-selling success, Brown noted how his connection to the Kardashian
> clan brought him into a bigger stratosphere.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fonsi%2Fwomens-fastbreak%2Fnews%2Fespn-holly-rowe-sheds-light-on-what-caitlin-clark-hasn-t-01j9ve84tac5&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270325461%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pcvPaGm%2FzxxYBFKYd7%2F3lx1VYCmmL7p7Y6vGYyUM8RE%3D&reserved=0<https://www.si.com/onsi/womens-fastbreak/news/espn-holly-rowe-sheds-light-on-what-caitlin-clark-hasn-t-01j9ve84tac5>
> Sports Illustrated, Oct. 10, 2024
> She immediately became the face of the WNBA as soon as she entered the
> league earlier this year, and her success as a rookie catapulted her into
> an even bigger stratosphere of stardom.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2026%2F03%2Fproject-hail-mary-ready-or-not-2-box-office-projection-1236760889%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270348625%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=A%2FWnypn9buFlNirxkDzRwV9clA8H%2FmlGF0TAbJXHiMo%3D&reserved=0<https://deadline.com/2026/03/project-hail-mary-ready-or-not-2-box-office-projection-1236760889/>
> Deadline, Mar. 19, 2026
> North America is looking to land $60M+ at 4,000 theaters, and there are
> some who believe the Ryan Gosling movie could travel to an even bigger
> stratosphere.
> ---
>
> * "a (whole) new stratosphere"
>
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthetigercu.com%2F28139%2Ftimeout%2Ftv-movie-reviews%2Fwicked-for-good-takes-broadway-to-a-whole-new-stratosphere%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270367618%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=dNoBX78EIkEq21NcprU0z2gPYAvjmQd%2Br401DY8dxYc%3D&reserved=0<https://thetigercu.com/28139/timeout/tv-movie-reviews/wicked-for-good-takes-broadway-to-a-whole-new-stratosphere/>
> The Tiger (Clemson), Dec. 4, 2025
> ‘Wicked: For Good' takes Broadway to a whole new stratosphere
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdeadline.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fkristen-stewart-directing-twilight-remake-1236664958%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270386627%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fZckbqqLyjA0tQJnAegBRpiuppUVAac1vJMRURA6IuQ%3D&reserved=0<https://deadline.com/2026/01/kristen-stewart-directing-twilight-remake-1236664958/>
> Deadline, Jan. 5, 2026
> Stewart, whose child acting career entered a new stratosphere after the
> release of the 2008 film based on the popular Stephenie Meyer novel series,
> praised each filmmaker's respective movies.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdodgersway.com%2Fdodgers-have-taken-deferring-money-to-a-new-stratosphere-after-concerning-report&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270405306%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=95huTvTnYKBUpdSUcGy8P3kedw2l4ph6gfaCIIc89Pg%3D&reserved=0<https://dodgersway.com/dodgers-have-taken-deferring-money-to-a-new-stratosphere-after-concerning-report>
> Dodgers Way, Feb. 5, 2026
> Dodgers have taken deferring money to a new stratosphere after concerning
> report
> ---
>
> There's also the comparative "not in the same stratosphere," often used in
> sports:
>
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fsports%2Fstory%2F2023-06-19%2Fdodgers-angels-freeway-series-mookie-betts-shohei-ohtani&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270423660%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=nguqdNkduwBPIZxTTdsCrgzXurRHwMFed%2FEPOoHh7oo%3D&reserved=0<https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2023-06-19/dodgers-angels-freeway-series-mookie-betts-shohei-ohtani>
> archived: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.is%2FvkCDU&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270441879%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JNo5UunOA4GASPQ6OpbPgmTRiRO69tLG1rHcmd0Fpbk%3D&reserved=0<https://archive.is/vkCDU>
> Los Angeles Times, June 19, 2023
> Just don't pretend Dodgers-Angels belongs with Yankees-Red Sox and
> Dodgers-Giants in a conversation about baseball's great rivalries. "It's
> not even in the same stratosphere," said Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fwnba%2Farticle%2Ftheyre-absolutely-underpaid-economists-weigh-in-on-wnba-labor-showdown-151146341.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270459778%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Lp4TazBndiUJ5mhLouE6r9XoQL3MNt3eGKCpfa7peBI%3D&reserved=0<https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/theyre-absolutely-underpaid-economists-weigh-in-on-wnba-labor-showdown-151146341.html>
> Yahoo Sports, July 23, 2025
> In reality, WNBA salaries currently range from the league minimum of
> $66,079 to a maximum of $249,244. That's not in the same stratosphere as
> the NBA, where the league minimum is $1.27 million and the highest-paid
> superstars will earn more than $50 million next season.
> ---
>
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsteelersdepot.com%2F2026%2F02%2Friddick-will-howard-isnt-in-same-stratosphere-as-alabama-qb-ty-simpson%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccharles.rice%40LOUISIANA.EDU%7C8b33a6f26f4c455d434a08de88ead089%7C13b3b0cecd7549a4bfea0a03b01ff1ab%7C1%7C0%7C639098739270477560%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QYam%2BU5G8EUkQfqwiN5D3G9OnOlIRkn6gt30tP2%2B%2B2o%3D&reserved=0<https://steelersdepot.com/2026/02/riddick-will-howard-isnt-in-same-stratosphere-as-alabama-qb-ty-simpson/>
> Steelers Depot, Feb. 25, 2026
> "I like Will Howard," Riddick said recently on ESPN's NFL Live. "I don't
> like Will Howard as much as Ty Simpson. I don't even think they're in the
> same stratosphere as far as their ability to throw the football."
> ---
>
> --bgz
>

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