500 Idiom Examples with Sentences to Knock Your Socks Off

Idioms make our conversations lively, colorful, and sometimes downright confusing.

Whether you’re cracking jokes, teaching kids, or livening up a work email, there’s an idiom for every occasion. Here’s a mega list of 500 idioms, neatly categorized for your linguistic pleasure.

Summary of Idiom Types

(This post may have affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure)

Ducks in a row -- Idiom Examples — *Ducks in a row — Idiom Examples*

Idioms fall into different buckets depending on where and how they’re used.

Here’s the gist:

Common Idioms: Everyday phrases everyone uses.
Funny Idioms: Quirky and lighthearted expressions.
Idioms for Kids: Simple, fun phrases to entertain and educate.
Animal, Food, Sports, and Nature Idioms: Inspired by life around us.
Business and Work Idioms: Perfect for office jargon.
Love, Friendship, and Family Idioms: Great for relationships.
Cultural and Historical Idioms: Reflect history or regional quirks.

Now, let’s dive into the idiom goldmine, category by category.

Common Idioms

The go-to phrases you hear all the time. They’re everywhere, and for good reason—they work.

Check out these common idiom examples.

Break the ice – “She told a joke to break the ice at the party.”
Hit the nail on the head – “You hit the nail on the head with your answer.”
A blessing in disguise – “Losing the job was a blessing in disguise.”
The ball is in your court – “The ball is in your court to make a decision.”
Burn the midnight oil – “I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report.”
Call it a day – “Let’s call it a day and head home.”
Bite the bullet – “You’ll have to bite the bullet and apologize.”
Cry over spilled milk – “Don’t cry over spilled milk—it’s already done.”
Piece of cake – “This test was a piece of cake.”
Under the weather – “I’m feeling under the weather today.”
Cut corners – “Don’t cut corners on this project.”
Hit the sack – “I’m exhausted; time to hit the sack.”
Spill the beans – “Who spilled the beans about the surprise?”
Let the cat out of the bag – “He accidentally let the cat out of the bag.”
Raining cats and dogs – “It’s raining cats and dogs outside.”
Costs an arm and a leg – “That car costs an arm and a leg.”
Get out of hand – “The party got out of hand after midnight.”
Break a leg – “Break a leg at your audition today!”
Add insult to injury – “He added insult to injury by laughing at my mistake.”
Don’t judge a book by its cover – “She seems shy, but don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Funny Idioms

These idiom examples are here to make you chuckle. They’re odd, silly, and delightful.

A bull in a china shop – “He’s like a bull in a china shop—completely reckless.”
Kick the bucket – “The old car finally kicked the bucket.”
Caught between a rock and a hard place – “I’m caught between a rock and a hard place with this decision.”
When pigs fly – “He’ll clean his room when pigs fly.”
The lights are on, but nobody’s home – “He looked confused—the lights are on, but nobody’s home.”
Go bananas – “The kids went bananas when they saw the clown.”
More holes than Swiss cheese – “Your argument has more holes than Swiss cheese.”
All bark and no bite – “He’s all bark and no bite, don’t worry.”
Throw someone under the bus – “He threw me under the bus in the meeting.”
Have ants in your pants – “She had ants in her pants before the test.”
Not playing with a full deck – “That guy’s not playing with a full deck.”
Barking up the wrong tree – “You’re barking up the wrong tree accusing me.”
A fish out of water – “I felt like a fish out of water at the formal dinner.”
A dime a dozen – “Good ideas are a dime a dozen in this company.”
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – “You shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Burn your bridges – “Don’t burn your bridges with your former employer.”
Hold your horses – “Hold your horses! We’ll leave in a minute.”
Hit the roof – “He hit the roof when he saw the mess.”
Keep your chin up – “Keep your chin up—it’ll get better.”
It’s not rocket science – “Fixing this isn’t rocket science.”

Idioms for Kids

Here are simple and fun idiom examples that kids can easily understand and enjoy.

Apple of my eye – “You’re the apple of my eye.”
Hold your tongue – “You need to hold your tongue and listen.”
Big fish in a small pond – “He’s a big fish in a small pond at school.”
Cat got your tongue? – “Why are you silent? Cat got your tongue?”
Cool as a cucumber – “He stayed cool as a cucumber during the test.”
Butterflies in my stomach – “I had butterflies in my stomach before my speech.”
On cloud nine – “She’s on cloud nine about her new toy.”
As busy as a bee – “He’s as busy as a bee with his schoolwork.”
Easier said than done – “Keeping your room clean is easier said than done.”
A penny for your thoughts – “A penny for your thoughts about the book?”
Every cloud has a silver lining – “Even after the storm, every cloud has a silver lining.”
Out of the blue – “She came to visit out of the blue.”
Tickled pink – “She was tickled pink with the surprise party.”
Under your nose – “The keys were right under your nose!”
As blind as a bat – “Without my glasses, I’m as blind as a bat.”
Jump the gun – “Don’t jump the gun and start before the teacher says.”
Like two peas in a pod – “They’re like two peas in a pod at school.”
Spick and span – “Your room should be spick and span.”
Once in a blue moon – “We only go to the amusement park once in a blue moon.”
A drop in the bucket – “That’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what we need.”

Animal Idioms

The idiom examples below are inspired by our furry, feathered, and finned friends. They bring wild energy to your expressions.

The lion’s share – “She received the lion’s share of the inheritance.”
A wild goose chase – “Finding your lost sock is a wild goose chase.”
Straight from the horse’s mouth – “I got the news straight from the horse’s mouth.”
Let sleeping dogs lie – “Don’t bring up old arguments; let sleeping dogs lie.”
Hold your horses – “Hold your horses; we’re not ready yet.”
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks – “He’s set in his ways—you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
Curiosity killed the cat – “Don’t ask too many questions; curiosity killed the cat.”
Like a fish out of water – “I felt like a fish out of water at the party.”
Birds of a feather flock together – “They’re best friends—birds of a feather flock together.”
Ants in your pants – “The kids had ants in their pants before the trip.”
A dark horse – “She’s the dark horse in the competition.”
Knee-high to a grasshopper – “I’ve known you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper.”
Elephant in the room – “We need to address the elephant in the room.”
Smell a rat – “I smell a rat in this situation.”
As stubborn as a mule – “He’s as stubborn as a mule when it comes to changes.”
The cat’s pajamas – “That car is the cat’s pajamas!”
Make a beeline for – “As soon as class ended, she made a beeline for the door.”
Cry wolf – “If you cry wolf too often, no one will believe you.”
Butterflies in my stomach – “I always get butterflies in my stomach before a presentation.”
Be a guinea pig – “I don’t want to be a guinea pig for your experiment.”

Food Idioms

These idiom examples are as tasty as they are clever, blending culinary references into everyday speech.

Spill the beans – “Don’t spill the beans about the surprise party.”
Bring home the bacon – “He works hard to bring home the bacon.”
Piece of cake – “Finishing that project was a piece of cake.”
Cool as a cucumber – “She stayed cool as a cucumber during the interview.”
That’s the way the cookie crumbles – “We lost the game, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
Cry over spilled milk – “Don’t cry over spilled milk; let’s move on.”
The icing on the cake – “Her promotion was the icing on the cake.”
Bite off more than you can chew – “He bit off more than he could chew with that big project.”
Butter someone up – “She’s trying to butter up the teacher for better grades.”
Eat humble pie – “After his mistake, he had to eat humble pie.”
Half-baked idea – “That’s a half-baked idea; it needs more work.”
In a pickle – “I’m in a pickle about what to wear to the event.”
Salt of the earth – “He’s the salt of the earth—a truly kind person.”
Take it with a grain of salt – “Take his advice with a grain of salt.”
Out of the frying pan and into the fire – “I left one problem only to end up out of the frying pan and into the fire.”
Chew the fat – “We stayed up late chewing the fat about old times.”
Have your cake and eat it too – “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
Apple of my eye – “You’re the apple of my eye.”
Bad egg – “He’s a bad egg; don’t trust him.”
Full of beans – “The kids are full of beans after their nap.”

Sports Idioms

Here are idiom examples that come straight out of the arena, perfect for competitive situations.

Hit it out of the park – “Her presentation hit it out of the park.”
Throw in the towel – “I’m so tired; I’m ready to throw in the towel.”
The ball is in your court – “The ball is in your court now.”
Step up to the plate – “It’s time to step up to the plate and take responsibility.”
A level playing field – “We need a level playing field for everyone.”
Take a rain check – “I’ll take a rain check on that dinner invitation.”
Drop the ball – “I dropped the ball on that assignment.”
Go to bat for someone – “He’s always willing to go to bat for his friends.”
Call the shots – “Who’s calling the shots on this project?”
Keep your eye on the ball – “Keep your eye on the ball during the negotiation.”
Out of left field – “That suggestion came out of left field.”
Down to the wire – “We worked down to the wire to finish on time.”
Blow the whistle – “She decided to blow the whistle on the unethical practices.”
Get a second wind – “After a short break, I got a second wind and kept running.”
On the ropes – “The company was on the ropes but managed to recover.”
Touch base – “Let’s touch base next week about the project.”
Skate on thin ice – “You’re skating on thin ice with that risky decision.”
Knock it out of the park – “He knocked it out of the park with his performance.”
Make the cut – “Only the top performers will make the cut.”
Go the distance – “She’s determined to go the distance in her career.”

Nature Idioms

The following idiom examples draw from the great outdoors to paint vivid pictures in conversation.

A drop in the ocean – “That donation is a drop in the ocean compared to what we need.”
Can’t see the forest for the trees – “You’re so focused on details, you can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Every cloud has a silver lining – “Remember, every cloud has a silver lining.”
The tip of the iceberg – “This issue is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Go with the flow – “Relax and go with the flow on this trip.”
A storm in a teacup – “This argument is just a storm in a teacup.”
Put down roots – “After years of moving, they finally put down roots in a small town.”
On cloud nine – “She’s on cloud nine after winning the prize.”
Hit the hay – “I’m exhausted; it’s time to hit the hay.”
Barking up the wrong tree – “You’re barking up the wrong tree with that accusation.”
Burning the midnight oil – “He’s burning the midnight oil to meet the deadline.”
Grass is always greener on the other side – “Stop comparing; the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
Lightning fast – “Her reflexes are lightning fast.”
Make hay while the sun shines – “We need to make hay while the sun shines and finish this project.”
A ray of sunshine – “Her positive attitude is a ray of sunshine.”
The calm before the storm – “This quiet period feels like the calm before the storm.”
Shake like a leaf – “He was shaking like a leaf before the performance.”
Save for a rainy day – “It’s wise to save money for a rainy day.”
Plenty of fish in the sea – “Don’t worry about your breakup; there are plenty of fish in the sea.”
A breath of fresh air – “Your innovative ideas are a breath of fresh air.”

Weather Idioms

The idiom examples below use weather to create dynamic and relatable expressions.

Under the weather – “I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.”
Take the world by storm – “Her new book took the world by storm.”
Fair-weather friend – “She’s just a fair-weather friend, only around when times are good.”
Come rain or shine – “He’ll be there to help you, come rain or shine.”
Storm in a teacup – “This is just a storm in a teacup; don’t stress about it.”
Chasing rainbows – “He’s always chasing rainbows with his impractical ideas.”
Throw caution to the wind – “She threw caution to the wind and started the new project.”
Break the ice – “A funny story helped break the ice at the meeting.”
Weather the storm – “We’ll have to weather the storm together as a team.”
On cloud nine – “She’s on cloud nine after her engagement.”
Save for a rainy day – “Always save for a rainy day, just in case.”
The calm before the storm – “This feels like the calm before the storm.”
Every cloud has a silver lining – “Even bad situations can be positive; every cloud has a silver lining.”
Make hay while the sun shines – “We should make hay while the sun shines and finish this quickly.”
Raining cats and dogs – “It’s raining cats and dogs outside.”
Caught in the eye of the storm – “They were caught in the eye of the storm during the scandal.”
Bolt from the blue – “His resignation was a bolt from the blue.”
Head in the clouds – “He has his head in the clouds and isn’t paying attention.”
Snowed under – “I’ve been snowed under with work this week.”
Throwing shade – “She’s always throwing shade at her coworkers.”

Travel Idioms

Here are idiom examples related to travel, perfect for wanderers and adventurers.

Hit the road – “It’s time to hit the road for our road trip.”
Off the beaten track – “We discovered a quaint café off the beaten track.”
Backseat driver – “He’s such a backseat driver; it’s annoying.”
A bump in the road – “The delay was just a bump in the road for the project.”
Burning the midnight oil – “We burned the midnight oil to plan our trip.”
Get your bearings – “Let’s stop and get our bearings before we move on.”
It’s all downhill from here – “Once we hit the summit, it’s all downhill from here.”
On the right track – “I think we’re on the right track with this itinerary.”
Cross that bridge when you come to it – “Don’t stress; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Road less traveled – “He always takes the road less traveled in life.”
Go the extra mile – “She went the extra mile to make our trip enjoyable.”
Walking on air – “I was walking on air after our successful hike.”
Jump on the bandwagon – “Everyone jumped on the bandwagon for eco-tourism.”
At the crossroads – “I’m at the crossroads, deciding my next travel destination.”
The end of the line – “The small village was the end of the line for our journey.”
Travel light – “He always travels light with just a backpack.”
Blaze a trail – “She blazed a trail by creating a unique travel blog.”
Middle of nowhere – “We got lost in the middle of nowhere.”
In the same boat – “We’re all in the same boat with these travel delays.”
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – “Starting the trip felt like the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Business Idioms

These idiom examples are tailor-made for office and professional environments.

Think outside the box – “We need to think outside the box to solve this issue.”
Back to square one – “We’re back to square one after the proposal was rejected.”
Raise the bar – “They’ve raised the bar for customer service expectations.”
Hit the ground running – “We need to hit the ground running on Monday.”
The bottom line – “The bottom line is that we need to cut costs.”
Put all your eggs in one basket – “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket with this investment.”
A ballpark figure – “Can you give me a ballpark figure for the budget?”
Bite the bullet – “We’ll need to bite the bullet and make those layoffs.”
Climb the corporate ladder – “She’s ambitious and wants to climb the corporate ladder.”
Get your foot in the door – “Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door.”
Cut corners – “Don’t cut corners on quality for this project.”
Game changer – “The new policy is a game changer for our company.”
In the driver’s seat – “He’s in the driver’s seat on this deal.”
Touch base – “Let’s touch base later about the presentation.”
Call the shots – “The manager calls the shots in this department.”
Think on your feet – “You need to think on your feet during the meeting.”
Get down to business – “Let’s get down to business and finalize the details.”
Red tape – “The project was delayed due to too much red tape.”
Stay ahead of the curve – “We need to innovate to stay ahead of the curve.”
Pull out all the stops – “They pulled out all the stops for the product launch.”

Color Idioms

Color adds vibrancy to these idiom examples, making language pop with creativity.

Black and white – “This contract is in black and white.”
Out of the blue – “She called me out of the blue after years.”
Feeling blue – “I’ve been feeling blue since she left.”
Green with envy – “He was green with envy over her promotion.”
Caught red-handed – “The thief was caught red-handed.”
Golden opportunity – “This is a golden opportunity you shouldn’t miss.”
Tickled pink – “She was tickled pink by the surprise gift.”
In the red – “The company has been in the red all year.”
See red – “I see red whenever someone interrupts me.”
White lie – “I told a white lie to avoid hurting her feelings.”
Born with a silver spoon – “He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.”
Yellow-bellied – “Don’t be yellow-bellied; stand up for yourself!”
Once in a blue moon – “We only see each other once in a blue moon.”
Black sheep – “He’s the black sheep of the family.”
Silver lining – “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
Roll out the red carpet – “They rolled out the red carpet for the new CEO.”
Show your true colors – “He showed his true colors during the argument.”
Paint the town red – “We’re going to paint the town red tonight.”
Green light – “We got the green light to start the project.”
Blue blood – “He claims to be blue blood, descended from royalty.”

Time Idioms

Time flies when you’re reading idiom examples like these. Dive into expressions that revolve around the ticking clock.

Beat the clock – “We managed to beat the clock and submit the report early.”
Better late than never – “I finally started exercising—better late than never.”
Around the clock – “The team worked around the clock to meet the deadline.”
Time flies – “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
A stitch in time saves nine – “Fix the leak now; a stitch in time saves nine.”
Burning the midnight oil – “She’s burning the midnight oil to study for her exam.”
Call it a day – “Let’s call it a day and pick this up tomorrow.”
Race against time – “It was a race against time to finish the project.”
In the nick of time – “We arrived at the station in the nick of time.”
Kill time – “We played cards to kill time during the layover.”
Make up for lost time – “After retiring, she traveled to make up for lost time.”
Once in a blue moon – “She visits her hometown once in a blue moon.”
Time is money – “In business, time is money.”
Turn back the clock – “I wish I could turn back the clock and fix my mistakes.”
At the eleventh hour – “They reached a deal at the eleventh hour.”
Live on borrowed time – “After his surgery, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.”
The time is ripe – “The time is ripe to invest in real estate.”
Take your time – “Take your time with the assignment; there’s no rush.”
Against the clock – “We’re working against the clock to finish this project.”
Out of time – “We’re out of time for questions—see you next week.”

Health Idioms

The idiom examples below are all about health, wellness, and sometimes the lack of it.

Under the weather – “I’m feeling under the weather today.”
Fit as a fiddle – “Despite his age, he’s as fit as a fiddle.”
In the pink – “She’s in the pink after her vacation.”
A bitter pill to swallow – “Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow.”
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – “Exercise regularly; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Catch your breath – “After running up the stairs, I had to catch my breath.”
Keep body and soul together – “They worked hard just to keep body and soul together.”
Alive and kicking – “After the surgery, he’s alive and kicking.”
Go under the knife – “She went under the knife for a minor surgery.”
In bad shape – “The company is in bad shape financially.”
On the mend – “He’s on the mend after the flu.”
Out of shape – “I’m so out of shape; I need to start exercising again.”
Scare the life out of someone – “The loud noise scared the life out of me.”
Take a turn for the worse – “His condition took a turn for the worse last night.”
As pale as a ghost – “After hearing the news, she turned as pale as a ghost.”
Back on your feet – “She’ll be back on her feet in no time after the accident.”
Break out in a cold sweat – “I broke out in a cold sweat before the exam.”
Drop like flies – “People are dropping like flies during flu season.”
In fine fettle – “He’s in fine fettle after his recovery.”
Take your medicine – “You need to take your medicine and accept the consequences.”

Love Idioms

Love is in the air with these idiom examples, perfect for romantic situations.

Fall head over heels – “He fell head over heels for her.”
Tie the knot – “They’re planning to tie the knot next spring.”
Love is blind – “Love is blind, and they couldn’t see each other’s flaws.”
Wear your heart on your sleeve – “He always wears his heart on his sleeve.”
Puppy love – “It’s just puppy love; they’re too young for anything serious.”
A match made in heaven – “They are a match made in heaven.”
Head over heels – “She’s head over heels in love with him.”
Break someone’s heart – “He broke her heart when he moved away.”
Blind date – “She set me up on a blind date with her coworker.”
Love at first sight – “They knew it was love at first sight.”
Cupid’s arrow – “It felt like Cupid’s arrow hit me when I saw her.”
Heart of gold – “She has a heart of gold and cares about everyone.”
Be my better half – “He asked her to be his better half forever.”
Be lovesick – “He’s been lovesick ever since she left.”
Lovebirds – “The lovebirds were inseparable at the party.”
Pour your heart out – “He poured his heart out in his letter to her.”
Crazy about someone – “She’s absolutely crazy about him.”
To have a crush on someone – “I had a crush on her in high school.”
True love never dies – “They’ve proven that true love never dies.”
Steal someone’s heart – “She stole his heart with her kind smile.”

Money Idioms

Money talks, and these idiom examples will help you speak its language.

Break the bank – “That new car won’t break the bank.”
Money doesn’t grow on trees – “Stop spending so much; money doesn’t grow on trees.”
Pay through the nose – “We had to pay through the nose for those tickets.”
Penny for your thoughts – “A penny for your thoughts about the proposal?”
Cash cow – “That product line has become a cash cow for the company.”
Cost an arm and a leg – “That vacation cost us an arm and a leg.”
Money talks – “Money talks in politics.”
Born with a silver spoon – “He doesn’t understand struggle; he was born with a silver spoon.”
In for a penny, in for a pound – “We’re committed now; in for a penny, in for a pound.”
Make a quick buck – “He’s always trying to make a quick buck with side gigs.”
Nest egg – “They’ve built a nice nest egg for retirement.”
Put your money where your mouth is – “If you believe in the project, put your money where your mouth is.”
Time is money – “Hurry up; time is money.”
The penny dropped – “The penny finally dropped, and I understood the joke.”
Bet your bottom dollar – “I’d bet my bottom dollar he’ll be late.”
Money doesn’t buy happiness – “She learned that money doesn’t buy happiness.”
Throw money down the drain – “Buying that gadget was like throwing money down the drain.”
A dime a dozen – “Good ideas are a dime a dozen in this office.”
On a shoestring budget – “We’re planning the party on a shoestring budget.”
Bring home the bacon – “He works hard to bring home the bacon.”

Education Idioms

These idiom examples are perfect for academic settings, capturing the ups and downs of learning.

Hit the books – “I need to hit the books before my exam.”
Learn the ropes – “It’ll take a while to learn the ropes at the new job.”
Burn the midnight oil – “She’s burning the midnight oil to finish her thesis.”
Pass with flying colors – “He passed his driving test with flying colors.”
Dropout – “She became a successful entrepreneur despite being a college dropout.”
Ace the test – “I’m confident I’ll ace the test tomorrow.”
Make the grade – “He didn’t make the grade for the advanced math class.”
Teach someone a lesson – “That mistake taught me a lesson about planning better.”
Pop quiz – “We had a pop quiz in biology today.”
The school of hard knocks – “He learned business through the school of hard knocks.”
A quick study – “She’s a quick study and picked up the concept easily.”
By the book – “The professor insists we do everything by the book.”
Learn the hard way – “I learned the hard way not to procrastinate.”
Brainstorm – “Let’s brainstorm ideas for the group project.”
Go back to the drawing board – “The essay was rejected, so I went back to the drawing board.”
Show of hands – “Let’s see a show of hands for who wants to volunteer.”
Know-it-all – “Nobody likes a know-it-all in the classroom.”
Keep your nose in a book – “She keeps her nose in a book all day long.”
Put on your thinking cap – “Put on your thinking cap to solve this riddle.”
Teach an old dog new tricks – “It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but it’s possible.”

Friendship Idioms

The idiom examples below explore the joys and challenges of friendship.

A shoulder to cry on – “She’s always been a shoulder to cry on for me.”
Through thick and thin – “They’ve been friends through thick and thin.”
Birds of a feather – “They’re birds of a feather and love the same hobbies.”
Joined at the hip – “Those two are joined at the hip.”
Fair-weather friend – “He’s just a fair-weather friend who disappears when things get tough.”
Two peas in a pod – “They’re like two peas in a pod.”
A friend in need is a friend indeed – “When I was struggling, he proved that a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Hit it off – “We met at a party and immediately hit it off.”
Make friends – “It’s hard to make friends in a new city.”
Bury the hatchet – “They finally buried the hatchet after their argument.”
Turn your back on someone – “She turned her back on her best friend when it mattered most.”
Mend fences – “After their fight, they worked to mend fences.”
Thick as thieves – “Those two have been thick as thieves since childhood.”
Break the ice – “She told a joke to break the ice with the group.”
Extend an olive branch – “He extended an olive branch to his former friend.”
Have someone’s back – “Good friends always have your back.”
Fall out with someone – “They fell out over a silly argument.”
Patch things up – “They had a fight but managed to patch things up.”
Be there for someone – “She was always there for me during tough times.”
Go way back – “We go way back to elementary school.”

Work Idioms

These idiom examples reflect the challenges and triumphs of the workplace.

Burn the candle at both ends – “He’s burning the candle at both ends with two jobs.”
Climb the ladder – “She’s determined to climb the corporate ladder.”
Behind the scenes – “The project team worked hard behind the scenes.”
A dead-end job – “He left the dead-end job for something better.”
Crunch time – “It’s crunch time before the big product launch.”
Pull your weight – “Everyone needs to pull their weight on this team.”
Get the ball rolling – “Let’s get the ball rolling on this new project.”
A hard day’s work – “After a hard day’s work, he relaxed with a book.”
Work like a dog – “She worked like a dog to meet the deadline.”
Go the extra mile – “He always goes the extra mile for his clients.”
Keep your head above water – “It’s tough, but we’re keeping our heads above water.”
Think outside the box – “We need to think outside the box for this campaign.”
Hit the ground running – “She hit the ground running on her first day.”
Dead wood – “The company needs to cut the dead wood to improve efficiency.”
Have your work cut out – “With this big project, we have our work cut out for us.”
Call it a day – “After 12 hours, we called it a day.”
Pick up the slack – “He had to pick up the slack when his coworker left.”
Too many irons in the fire – “She has too many irons in the fire to take on another project.”
Learn the ropes – “It took time, but he learned the ropes of the new job.”
All in a day’s work – “Dealing with emergencies is all in a day’s work for a doctor.”

Family Idioms

The idiom examples here capture the ups and downs of family life.

Blood is thicker than water – “Family always comes first because blood is thicker than water.”
Run in the family – “Artistic talent seems to run in the family.”
Like father, like son – “He’s taking over the business—like father, like son.”
The black sheep – “He’s the black sheep of the family with his unconventional career.”
Chip off the old block – “He’s a chip off the old block, just like his dad.”
Apple of my eye – “She’s the apple of her father’s eye.”
Mama’s boy – “He’s such a mama’s boy, always listening to his mom.”
Family ties – “Family ties are important in our culture.”
Keep it in the family – “They want to keep the recipe in the family.”
Born with a silver spoon – “He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.”
Spitting image – “She’s the spitting image of her mother.”
One big happy family – “Despite our arguments, we’re one big happy family.”
Like two peas in a pod – “The siblings are like two peas in a pod.”
A house divided – “The political argument made them a house divided.”
Wear the pants in the family – “She wears the pants in their relationship.”
Fight like cats and dogs – “The twins fight like cats and dogs over toys.”
Tie the knot – “They tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony.”
Family man – “He’s a true family man who loves spending time at home.”
Skeletons in the closet – “Every family has skeletons in the closet.”
All in the family – “The business has stayed all in the family for generations.”

Technology Idioms

The idiom examples below capture the essence of our tech-driven world with creativity.

Pull the plug – “The company pulled the plug on the outdated software.”
Byte the bullet – “They had to byte the bullet and upgrade their system.”
Hit the reset button – “Let’s hit the reset button on this project and start fresh.”
On the same wavelength – “The team is finally on the same wavelength after the meeting.”
Blow a fuse – “She blew a fuse when the Wi-Fi went out.”
Cutting-edge – “This cutting-edge technology will revolutionize the industry.”
A glitch in the system – “There’s a glitch in the system that needs fixing.”
Surf the web – “I spent hours surfing the web for information.”
In real-time – “We’re monitoring the data in real-time.”
Light years ahead – “This app is light years ahead of the competition.”
Unplugged – “I spent the weekend unplugged from technology.”
Crash and burn – “The new app crashed and burned on its launch day.”
In the pipeline – “There’s a major update in the pipeline for the software.”
Outdated tech – “Using outdated tech is slowing us down.”
The nuts and bolts – “We need to understand the nuts and bolts of this system.”
Run out of juice – “My phone ran out of juice during the trip.”
Pushing buttons – “He really knows how to push my buttons.”
Back to the drawing board – “The prototype failed, so it’s back to the drawing board.”
Wired differently – “Creative people are just wired differently.”
Upgrade your thinking – “It’s time to upgrade your thinking about marketing.”

Idioms About Emotions

Here are idiom examples that express emotions, from joy to anger.

Wear your heart on your sleeve – “He always wears his heart on his sleeve.”
Break someone’s heart – “The news broke her heart.”
Hot under the collar – “She got hot under the collar when she was criticized.”
Cry your heart out – “She cried her heart out after the breakup.”
Jump for joy – “He jumped for joy when he heard the good news.”
Green with envy – “She was green with envy over their vacation.”
Over the moon – “I was over the moon when I got the job.”
Blow your top – “He blew his top when the project failed.”
On cloud nine – “They’ve been on cloud nine since their engagement.”
Go bananas – “The crowd went bananas at the concert.”
In the doldrums – “He’s been in the doldrums since losing his job.”
Walking on air – “She felt like she was walking on air after the performance.”
Have a heavy heart – “I have a heavy heart after hearing the sad news.”
At your wit’s end – “I’m at my wit’s end trying to fix this problem.”
Blow off steam – “She went for a run to blow off steam.”
Cold feet – “He got cold feet before the wedding.”
Full of hot air – “He’s full of hot air about his achievements.”
All smiles – “She was all smiles after the surprise party.”
Cry over spilled milk – “It’s no use crying over spilled milk.”
In stitches – “The comedian had us in stitches all night.”

Idioms About Success

These idiom examples celebrate winning, achieving, and thriving.

Break new ground – “The scientist broke new ground with her discovery.”
Get a leg up – “Internships help students get a leg up in their careers.”
Hit it big – “He hit it big with his startup idea.”
Make a killing – “She made a killing selling handmade crafts online.”
Come out on top – “Despite the challenges, they came out on top.”
On the rise – “Her career is on the rise after her latest project.”
Bring home the bacon – “He worked hard to bring home the bacon.”
In the driver’s seat – “She’s in the driver’s seat for this promotion.”
A feather in your cap – “Winning the award was a feather in his cap.”
Top of the heap – “Her design was at the top of the heap in the competition.”
The cream of the crop – “These interns are the cream of the crop.”
Ace up your sleeve – “She has an ace up her sleeve for the final presentation.”
Move mountains – “Her determination can move mountains.”
A roaring success – “The new product launch was a roaring success.”
Be a trailblazer – “He’s a trailblazer in renewable energy.”
Run rings around – “She ran rings around her competitors.”
A shot in the arm – “The funding was a shot in the arm for the startup.”
Rags to riches – “His story is a classic rags-to-riches tale.”
The sky’s the limit – “For her, the sky’s the limit.”
Win hands down – “They won hands down in the competition.”

Idioms About Failure

The idiom examples below highlight setbacks and lessons from failure.

Fall flat on your face – “His attempt to explain the joke fell flat on its face.”
Miss the boat – “She missed the boat by not applying on time.”
Back to the drawing board – “The design failed, so it’s back to the drawing board.”
Go down in flames – “The presentation went down in flames due to technical issues.”
Throw in the towel – “After years of trying, he threw in the towel.”
Crash and burn – “Their risky investment crashed and burned.”
Dead in the water – “The project is dead in the water without funding.”
A lost cause – “Trying to change his mind is a lost cause.”
Burn your bridges – “Don’t burn your bridges when leaving a job.”
Drop the ball – “He dropped the ball and forgot to send the report.”
Come up short – “We came up short in our fundraising efforts.”
A day late and a dollar short – “Her solution was a day late and a dollar short.”
Be in over your head – “He was in over his head with the advanced course.”
Not cut out for it – “I realized I wasn’t cut out for a desk job.”
Let the side down – “He let the side down by arriving late.”
Go belly up – “The restaurant went belly up during the pandemic.”
Blow it – “I blew it during the interview.”
Make a mess of it – “He made a mess of the entire project.”
Hit a wall – “We hit a wall trying to solve the coding issue.”
Take the fall – “She had to take the fall for the team’s mistake.”

Historical Idioms

The idiom examples here are rooted in historical events and phrases.

The writing on the wall – “The company’s bankruptcy was the writing on the wall.”
Turn the tide – “They turned the tide in the battle at the last moment.”
Raise the white flag – “The team raised the white flag after losing.”
Cross the Rubicon – “By quitting, he crossed the Rubicon and couldn’t go back.”
Water under the bridge – “That argument is water under the bridge now.”
Achilles’ heel – “His lack of organization is his Achilles’ heel.”
Catch-22 – “It’s a catch-22; you need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience.”
Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion – “As a leader, he must be above suspicion.”
Sword of Damocles – “The looming deadline felt like the sword of Damocles.”
Fiddling while Rome burns – “The CEO was accused of fiddling while Rome burns.”
Throw down the gauntlet – “He threw down the gauntlet with his bold proposal.”
Meet your Waterloo – “He finally met his Waterloo during the debate.”
Coup de grâce – “The final goal was the coup de grâce for the opposing team.”
Rest on your laurels – “You can’t rest on your laurels after one success.”
The die is cast – “With that decision, the die is cast.”
Pyrrhic victory – “Winning the lawsuit was a Pyrrhic victory due to the high costs.”
Beside the point – “His argument was valid but beside the point.”
Throw the baby out with the bathwater – “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater during reorganization.”
The powers that be – “The powers that be decided to cancel the event.”
A house divided cannot stand – “A house divided cannot stand, so we need unity.”

Cultural Idioms

Here are idiom examples that reflect cultural nuances and shared human experiences.

Break bread – “They broke bread together to celebrate the treaty.”
Elephant in the room – “The budget cut is the elephant in the room.”
Bite the bullet – “He had to bite the bullet and make the tough call.”
Burn bridges – “Be careful not to burn bridges when you leave.”
Clutch at straws – “He’s clutching at straws to justify his actions.”
Foot the bill – “She footed the bill for the entire dinner.”
Fish out of water – “I felt like a fish out of water in that formal meeting.”
Keep your chin up – “Keep your chin up; things will improve.”
The big cheese – “She’s the big cheese in the company.”
Skeletons in the closet – “Every family has skeletons in the closet.”
Make waves – “She made waves with her controversial speech.”
A storm in a teacup – “Their argument was just a storm in a teacup.”
Out of the frying pan into the fire – “Switching jobs put him out of the frying pan into the fire.”
Golden opportunity – “This internship is a golden opportunity for your career.”
A wolf in sheep’s clothing – “He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing—don’t trust him.”
Peas in a pod – “The twins are like two peas in a pod.”
Put all your eggs in one basket – “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket with that stock.”
Kill two birds with one stone – “I killed two birds with one stone by exercising while listening to a podcast.”
Know the ropes – “He knows the ropes in this industry.”
Hit the nail on the head – “Her analysis hit the nail on the head.”

Watch this video about some of the most popular idiom examples:

YouTube Video by English With Lucy — Idiom Examples

Final Thoughts: Idiom Examples

Well, there you have it—500 idiom examples served up on a silver platter.

Hopefully, this guide didn’t feel like biting off more than you could chew. Its should now be a piece of cake to find the right phrase for every occasion.

Read This Next

If you enjoyed this idiom extravaganza, check out these related posts: