Idioms are a common way for native English speakers to convey ideas, but because these phrases are not meant to be taken literally, English learners might find mastering them to be like pulling teeth (difficult and unpleasant)! To help you in your English learning journey, we've compiled a list of the 438 most common idioms for use in everyday English writing and conversation. Start practicing today!

We offer flashcards to help you master these challenging idioms and more in our package 1,574 Flashcards All English Learners Need to Have, perfect for English learners to use at home or for ESL teachers in the classroom. We also offer English tutoring to further support English learners worldwide.

a baker's dozen

thirteen

a basket case

a crazy person

a blessing in disguise

a good thing that first appears as a bad thing

a breath of fresh air

something new that adds life and energy to a situation

a change of heart

when you change your mind about something

a gray area

a vague or unclear area

a gut feeling

an intuitive feeling

a long haul

the option that takes the most time

a piece of cake

something very easy

a rip-off

something very over-priced

a rising tide lifts all boats

when an economy is performing well, all the people involved benefit from it

a rule of thumb

a personal principle

a stone's throw

very near

a storm is brewing

there will be trouble or emotional upset in the near future

add fuel to the fire

inflame or worsen a bad situation

add insult to injury

make an insulting situation even worse

against the grain

contrary to what is expected or preferred

all fired up

highly enthusiastic

an eye-opener

something that makes you see or think about something differently from then on

at the top of your lungs

in an extremely loud voice

at your fingertips

directly accessible

a ballpark figure

a rough estimate within acceptable bounds

bang for your buck

best return on investment

barking up the wrong tree

doing something that won't give you the results you want

be a catch

be someone worth marrying/having

a pain (in the neck)

something annoying/irritating

child's play

something so easy a child could do it

chuffed to bits

pleased and happy

in hot water

in trouble

in somebody's good books

thought of as someone's friend or ally

in the red

losing money

to be on somebody's back

to persistently urge somebody to do (or not to do) something

on the ball

thinking well and reacting quickly

on the same wavelength

thinking in a similar way to someone

only a matter of time

inevitable (this means something will happen sooner or later)

be that as it may

an expression that means "even though that is true" / "even so"

tickled pink

excited and happy

up in arms

very angry

beat a dead horse

continue or persist talking about a topic or issue beyond normal interest

beat around the bush

spend a long time getting to the main point of what you're saying, especially because it's embarrassing

beats me

I don't know

bend over backwards

make a great effort

between a rock and a hard place

in difficulty, faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options

birds of a feather (flock together)

similar people tend to spend time with each other

bite off more than you can chew

take on something that is too much for you to handle

bite your tongue

refrain from saying something because you don't think it would be a good idea

blown away

extremely impressed by something

blow smoke

exaggerate or say things that aren't true to make you seem better or more knowledgeable than you are

blow something out of proportion

make something seem much more significant than it really is

break the ice

attempt to become friends with someone

breathe down somebody's neck

watch somebody very closely (often in an annoying way)

bring something to light

make something previously unknown become known

burn your bridges

ruin a relationship, resulting in you being unable to return somewhere

bury the hatchet

stop fighting and become friendly (a hatchet is a small axe)

bury your head in the sand

(try to) avoid a particular situation by pretending that it doesn't exist

buy it

believe something

by the skin of your teeth

when you nearly fail, and you only just succeed

call it a day

an expression said near the end of a day that means "That's enough for today. Let's end and go home"

call it a night

go to bed and sleep

call it even

declare debts paid

call it quits

quit or stop an activity

call somebody's bluff

make somebody prove that what he or she is saying is true

call the shots

make the decisions

calm before the storm

an unusually quiet period before a period of upheaval (problems, chaos)

can of worms

a difficult problem that produces additional problems

unable to see the forest for the trees

unable to see the whole situation clearly because you're looking too closely at small details

castle in the sky

a daydream, a hope, especially for your life, that's unlikely to come true

catch on

understand

catch somebody's eye

grab somebody's attention and make him or her look at something

catch wind of something

learn about some news

change your mind

decide differently or have a different opinion than before

chasing rainbows

trying to do something that can't be achieved

clear as mud

not easy to understand

climb the corporate ladder

advance in a company by being promoted

close, but no cigar

a narrowly missed attempt or guess

go cold turkey

stop an addiction all at once, not gradually

come out swinging

be confrontational and strongly defend yourself at the beginning of a debate

costs an arm and a leg

is very expensive

you couldn't care less

you have a total lack of interest in something

cross that bridge when you come to it

not deal with a situation until you are actually in the situation

cross your fingers

hope for a good outcome (Westerners cross their fingers for good luck)

crunch time

the period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard

cry wolf

call for help when you don't need it

cut somebody some slack

be flexible or lenient with somebody

cut to the chase

get to the main point

the daily grind

the monotonous tasks of everyday work

a dead end

a path or situation that leads nowhere or offers no prospects

dig in your heels

refuse to compromise or change your mind

do the trick

cause the desired results

don't judge a book by its cover

don't make a decision based on a brief impression or outward appearance

down and out

without money and without prospects

down the drain

wasted, lost

down to earth

practical and sensible

drag your feet

deliberately hold back or delay

draw a blank

be unable to remember anything

drop out

quit school or withdraw from competition

easy as pie

very easily completed or accomplished

easy come, easy go

easily won and easily lost

easy on the eyes

attractive

eat like a bird

eat very little

elbow grease

hard work or physical effort

every cloud has a silver lining

there's a good aspect to every bad situation

face the music

take responsibility for what you have done

fall on deaf ears

be ignored or disregarded

fall through the cracks

be missed or overlooked

fed up

frustrated

feel free

be uninhibited about doing something

feel like doing something

want to do something

few and far between

scarce, infrequent

first-hand

experienced personally

fit the bill

be suitable

flunk out

be kicked out of school for not meeting academic standards

follow in somebody's footsteps

follow someone else's path

foot the bill

pay the bill for something

for good

permanently

for kicks

for pleasure or excitement

for the birds

worthless

for the time being

just for the present moment

freak out

become very angry, scared, or excited

from scratch

from nothing (without any prepared materials)

full of it

lying, exaggerating, or boasting

gain ground

progress or advance

get a grip

control your emotions

get a handle on

obtain a basic level of understanding or control

get a kick out of something

get enjoyment from something

get a move on

start going

get a word in edgewise

contribute to a conversation with people who are very talkative

get carried away

do something to excess

get cold feet

become nervous/frightened right before something you have planned to do

get cracking

get started immediately

get even

get revenge

get hitched

get married

get into deep water

be in trouble

get into gear

start moving at a faster speed

get it out of your system

do something you've wanted to do for a long time and don't want to postpone any longer

get on someone's nerves

annoy or irritate someone

get on someone's case

criticize, find fault, or lecture someone

get your act together

become serious, organized

get your feet wet

gain new experience

wake up on the wrong side of the bed

wake up in a bad mood

get out of hand

get out of control

get sacked

be fired

get something off your chest

say something serious or difficult that you have been thinking about for a while

get something straight

understand something correctly

get the ball rolling

take the first step to begin a process

get the hang of

learn how to do or use something

get the picture

understand what is being illustrated or explained

get the point

understand the general or main idea

get to the bottom of

find the underlying cause of a situation

get your act together

start behaving properly

get your foot in the door

complete the first step toward achieving an opportunity

get your head around something

understand something

give a hand

help

give it a go

try or attempt it

give it a shot

try it

give it your all

try your hardest

give somebody a piece of your mind

speak angrily to somebody about something bad he or she has done

give somebody free rein

give somebody full control of something

give somebody the benefit of the doubt

choose to believe something good about somebody instead of believing something bad (when you have the choice to believe either)

give someone the cold shoulder

ignore, snub, or reject someone

go all out

use all of your energy or resources to do something

go down in flames

end or fail suddenly and spectacularly

go downhill

become worse

go on about something

speak for too long about something uninteresting

go the extra mile

make a special effort

go up in smoke

be wasted

go with the flow

relax and go along with whatever is happening

hand it to someone

give someone credit or praise

hands down

without a doubt

hang in there

wait and be patient

happy camper

a person who is content or satisfied

have a blast

enjoy yourself thoroughly

have a bone to pick

have a grievance or complaint

have a chip on your shoulder

have anger about something that happened in the past

have a cow

get visibly upset

have a screw loose

be mentally unstable

have a shot at

have a chance

have a word with

talk, speak, or discuss with

you have had it up to here

you cannot handle any more of something that is aggravating you

have it in for somebody

be very angry at somebody

have second thoughts

have doubts

have the blues

feel depressed or sad

have your heart set on something

be firmly resolved to do something

have your work cut out

have a lot of work to do in little time

hear (something) through the grapevine

learn through rumor

heavy-duty

tough and powerful

hit a snag

encounter an unexpected problem or obstacle

hit it off

immediately have a good relationship with someone

hit rock bottom

be in the lowest, unhappiest situation of your life

hit the books

study intensely

hit the hay

go to bed

hit the nail on the head

be precisely right or accurate

hit the roof

explode in anger

hit the sack

go to bed

hold your horses

slow down and wait

be all ears

be listening intently

if need be

if necessary

in a bind

stuck in a difficult situation

in charge

in a position of responsibility, leading or overseeing

in cold blood

in a ruthless and unfeeling manner

in hand

under control

in less than no time

immediately

in the bag

certain to be secured/obtained

in the doghouse

in trouble (usually a man in trouble with his wife)

in the middle of nowhere

in a place far away from anywhere known to you

in the nick of time

at the last possible moment

in the same boat

in a similar situation or predicament

jog somebody's memory

make somebody remember something

jump on the bandwagon

do what most other people are doing

jump the gun

do something too soon

just about

nearly

just my luck!

when something bad happens to you, you say this to imply that bad things often happen to you, and thus your luck is bad luck

just what the doctor ordered

what you need

keep a lid on something

keep something secret

keep an eye on

closely monitor

keep it down

be quiet

keep on

continue

keep your nose to the grindstone

work hard or focus heavily on work

keep somebody in the dark

not tell somebody what's happening

keep track

monitor the time

kick around

treat badly

kick back

relax

kick the bucket

die

kid around

engage in playful joking or teasing

knock it off

stop it

know something by heart

memorize something

know something like the back of your hand

be very familiar with something

know your stuff

know something well

learn the ropes

learn about something so you are comfortable with it

leave a bad taste in your mouth

create a bad feeling about something

to leave a lot to be desired

to be unsatisfactory

leave no stone unturned

do everything you can to achieve your goal

left, right, and center

everywhere

let off steam

release anger and frustration

let somebody off the hook

let someone go free instead of holding him or her responsible for something bad

let the cat out of the bag

tell a secret so other people find out too early

let the chips fall where they may

let something happen, no matter what happens next

let the dust settle

allow a situation to become calm or normal again after something exciting or unusual has happened

let your freak flag fly

let others see your uniqueness

lie through your teeth

make outrageous false statements

like shooting fish in a barrel

extremely easy

like taking candy from a baby

very easy to achieve

long face

sad

loose ends

unfinished business

lose your head

lose self-control

lose your marbles

become crazy

lose your mind

become crazy or insane

lost at sea

confused or unsure about something

make a difference

matter

make a living

earn enough income to support yourself

make a mountain out of a molehill

exaggerate the severity of a situation

make believe

pretend

make do

survive/get by with what you have at that moment

make ends meet

have just enough money to cover expenses

make off with

steal

make up your mind

make a decision

make waves

cause trouble

make your day

used to say that something has made your day special (and great)

makes sense

seems reasonable/right

many moons ago

a long time ago

means business

is serious

mind your own business

concern yourself with only your own interests and not interfere in the affairs of others

miss the boat

miss the opportunity to do something

miss the point

fail to grasp the most important part of something

mixed up

confused

money doesn't grow on trees

money is not easily obtained

monkey around

behave in a silly or playful way

nail it down

finalize it

never mind

don't worry about it

nip something in the bud

stop a bad situation from becoming worse by taking action at an early stage of its development

no hard feelings

don't worry

no spring chicken

somebody who is not particularly young

no sweat

it's easy to do

no way!

similar to "That can't be possible!" or "I don't believe you!"

no-brainer

an easy decision

not a chance

absolutely not

not have a clue

have no idea or absolutely no knowledge (about something)

not have the foggiest idea

not know something at all

nothing to sneeze at

something worthwhile

nothing to write home about

ordinary and unexceptional

odds and ends

miscellaneous things

of age

old enough

off your rocker

crazy

off the beaten track

away from the area most people visit/go

off the cuff

without preparation

off the hook

out of trouble

off the mark

inaccurate, wrong

off the top of your head

without great thought, investigation, or preparation

on a roll

on a streak of continuous progress or success

on edge

anxious, tense, nervous, or irritable

on your toes

alert, prepared, ready, or attentive

on the back burner

set as a lower priority

on the blink

broken or inoperative (often said of electronic or mechanical devices)

on the button

exactly, precisely

on the dot

exactly

on the level

honest, sincere, and straightforward

on the line

at risk

on the tip of your tongue

when you are almost able to remember something, but you can't

once in a blue moon

rarely

your bark is worse than your bite

you seem more aggressive and mean than you really are

your lips are sealed

you will keep a secret

out of line

not in accordance with how somebody is supposed to behave

out of order

does not work

out of sight, out of mind

if you do not see someone regularly, you will stop thinking about him or her

out of the blue

without previous warning

out of the woods

the hardest part of something is over

paint the town red

go on a partying spree

pass the buck

pass blame to somebody else

pay the price for something

suffer as a consequence of doing something

pay through the nose

pay an excessive amount of money

pick somebody's brain

ask someone many questions so you can learn from him or her

play devil's advocate

argue against somebody just so you can hear his or her reasoning

play it by ear

not make a plan but instead decide what to do as you do it

play your cards right

make the appropriate moves/choices

point the finger

assign blame

pound the pavement

walk the streets looking for a job

pour oil on troubled waters

try to make people feel better and become friendly again after an argument

pull a rabbit out of a hat

do something unexpected

pull somebody's leg

tease, deceive, or fool someone

pull teeth

do something very difficult or unpleasant

pull your weight

do your share of the work

pull yourself together

calm down and behave normally

push your luck

expect continued good fortune

put a sock in it

stop talking

put all your eggs in one basket

put all of something you have in the same area (generally viewed as a bad thing to do)

put your foot down

insist, demand, or refuse

put your mind to it

channel your effort toward a particular goal

put something on hold

postpone something

rain cats and dogs

rain very heavily

rain or shine

no matter what happens

raise (a few) eyebrows

make people slightly shocked or surprised

raise a stink

complain loudly

raise the bar

raise standards or expectations

read between the lines

find the hidden meaning in something that is written or said

red tape

rules and regulations that prevent you from achieving something easily

right on the money

exactly right

it rings a bell

it's familiar to you, but you can't remember where you heard it

rock the boat

go against the status quo

rub the wrong way

irritate or annoy

run-of-the-mill

typical

running on fumes

staying awake when feeling exhausted

safe and sound

safe

sail close to the wind

act just within the limits of what's legal or socially acceptable

salt of the earth

honest and good

scared to death

extremely frightened

scope out

investigate

scratch the surface

barely begin

see eye to eye

have the same views on something

see red

become very angry

be able to sell ice to Eskimos

be able to sell anything to anyone

sell like hot cakes

sell fast

set the record straight

clarify what is true/factual about a story or thing

set your heart on something

be firmly resolved to do something

shake a leg

hurry

shape up or ship out

either start performing better or leave

shoot from the hip

speak directly

shoot the breeze

talk or converse idly

shrug off

minimize the importance of something

sit on the fence

stay neutral and not take sides

sit tight

wait patiently

sitting pretty

in a good financial situation

skeleton crew

the minimum number of people needed to keep a service/office operating

a slip of the tongue

a mistake in speaking

something slips your mind

you forget or overlook something

small talk

discussion about light topics such as the weather

sold you out

told on you or let your secret out

sour grapes

something said out of jealousy

speak your mind

say what you honestly feel

spill the beans

reveal a secret

stand your ground

firmly maintain your opinion or position

step up your game

start performing better

stuck in a rut

stuck in a situation in which you cannot make any progress

take a back seat

let someone else take charge

take a breather

take a short break

take a chance

risk something

take a crack at

attempt or try

take a spill

fall or trip or experience a sudden drop

take something for granted

assume too confidently that you'll have something in the future or forever

take the heat

endure the consequences, blame, anger, or scrutiny

take the plunge

begin an important/difficult task that you've been thinking about for a long time (note: to plunge is to dive into something)

take what someone says with a pinch of salt

regard something as exaggerated, or only believe a part of something

talk shop

talk about work-related things

a tall tale

a greatly exaggerated story

tar someone with the same brush

believe that someone has the same bad qualities as others in a group

the ball is in your court

you now have control of the situation

the be all and end all

something so good that it will end the search for something better

the bottom line

the final result

the fine print

the information typed in a smaller font, usually on a contract

the icing on the cake

an additional thing that makes something good become great

know the ins and outs

know all aspects of something

the last straw

the final thing that causes something to collapse or somebody to lose his or her temper/get angry

the pits

a miserable or unpleasant situation

the tip of the iceberg

just a small part of something much bigger

the whole shebang

the entire thing

the word spread

the news spread ("the word" = some news)

there's nothing to it

it's very easy

think twice

consider something carefully before proceeding

through the roof

suddenly and excessively high

throw a fit

begin acting like an angry child

tie the knot

get married

time flies

time passes quickly

to each his own

everyone is entitled to personal preferences

hold out an olive branch

offer to make peace (with a rival or enemy)

keep something at bay

keep a threat from coming too near

tongue-tied

unable to say anything

twist somebody's arm

make a great effort to convince somebody to do something for you

under your breath

softly spoken

under the gun

under pressure to perform or meet a deadline

under the sun

in existence

under the weather

not feeling well

until you are blue in the face

for a hopelessly long time

up for grabs

available for anyone

up in the air

undecided

up to something

scheming or devising

up to speed

having all the current information

up-and-coming

new and becoming successful

ups and downs

good times and bad times

wake up and smell the coffee

face reality

walking on air

very excited or happy

watch like a hawk

observe very closely

water down

make weaker

weather a storm

survive a dangerous event or effectively deal with a difficult situation

well off

wealthy

wet behind the ears

inexperienced

when all is said and done

in the end

when it rains, it pours

many big things or bad things happen all at once

when pigs fly

never (pigs will never fly, so this means something will never happen)

when push comes to shove

if/when the situation becomes difficult

whet your appetite

make you want more

with flying colors

exceptionally well

wolf in sheep's clothing

a person who appears innocent but really isn't

work your butt off

work very hard

you would not be caught dead

you would never do something

you can say that again!

you definitely agree with what has just been said

you name it

whatever you want

you rock

you are great

you sold me (on something)

you convinced me of something because you were persuasive

zero in on something

focus on something

Was learning these idioms a piece of cake (very easy)? If you haven't mastered all 438 yet, keep practicing at home or in the classroom with our package 1,574 Flashcards All English Learners Need to Have. And remember, if you want to practice your English one on one with an experienced tutor, we offer English tutoring just for learners like you.

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