Examples of idioms in English

In this lesson, I have compiled different examples of idioms in English with their meanings to help you talk like a native speaker. I have included many example sentences to help you memorise them easily.

1. Idioms: definition and examples

Idioms are fixed phrases where the whole expression has a special meaning that you cannot easily guess from the individual words that make it up.

Examples:

It’s raining heavily.

When you say that something is like shooting fish in a barrel, you mean it is extremely easy to do.

2. List of idioms in English with example sentences

to become very angry

China saw red over Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese products.

to suddenly become extremely angry

My father hit the roof when he found out that I skipped school that day.

very similar in appearance

Tommy and his brother are like two peas in a pod.

If something is a piece of cake, it is very easy to do.

The quiz was a piece of cake.

something that is not difficult to do or understand.

Learning English is not rocket science.

very confident, sometimes in a rude manner

Jim went to my office yesterday, as bold as brass, and asked for a promotion.

very thin

These prisoners are just skin and bones.

amazing, extremely good

The view from Table Mountain is out of this world.

to be the most interesting part of a show or an event

Jimmy stole the show yesterday with his joke.

something unpleasant

Having an abusive husband is a fate worse than death.

Jimmy stole the show yesterday with his joke.

something that you do not like

Dancing is not my cup of tea.

You can use this idiom when you want to describe something that becomes worse and less stable

I admit that I went out with her while she was still married, but I was not the cause of their divorce. Their marriage was already fraying at the edges when I met her.

not as good as before; no longer at your/its best level/stage.

Many fans think that Anderson Silva was past his prime when he fought Israel Adesanya.

to be not very impressive/exciting

The new iPhone looks good, but I think it’s not going to set the world on fire.

to make someone feel unhappy or disappointed about something that happened

The police arrested me unfairly. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

This idiom means that people are so close together in a small or crowded place that they have almost no room to move around.

The bus was full. We were tightly packed like sardines inside.

a big problem or uncomfortable issue that everyone knows about but no one wants to talk about; People avoid the topic because it feels embarrassing, stressful, or awkward.

The CEO’s poor communication skills are the elephant in the room at every staff meeting.

to feel relieved because a problem has been solved

It was a weight off my mind when the doctor said that everything was fine.

you wish you had what someone else have

I was green with envy when Sarah told me that her boyfriend had proposed to her.

extremely happy

I was on top of the world when my crush told me that he loved me.

extremely happy

The King was over the moon after his wife gave birth to their son.

You are bored stiff (also bored to death, bored to tears) when you are extremely bored so that you can hardly stand it.

I was bored to death waiting there for three hours without an internet connection.

to annoy someone a lot

I love her, but sometimes she drives me crazy.

to feel extremely embarrassed

I died of shame when I lost a chess match against a ten-year-old boy.

to quickly forget something

I tried to warn him multiple times, but everything I said went in one ear and out the other.

to forget things very easily

She always loses her keys. She has a memory like a sieve.

extremely nervous

I was a bundle of nerves during my driving test.

to stay very close to someone all the time

I found this dog hiding under my car during a storm, and it has stuck to me like glue ever since.

to delay doing something

Let’s hold fire on the announcement until the contracts are signed.

a very small amount compared to what is needed.

The money we raised was a drop in the ocean compared to the total cost.

to begin something

This project has been delayed due to a lack of funding. Now that we have help from the government, we will get the ball rolling soon.

something that is unlikely to happen

Do you think he’ll pay you back? Fat chance!

to talk about something that is extremely unlikely to happen

She thinks that her boyfriend will never cheat on her again. Pigs might fly!

to push for something in a way that could make you lose what you already have

You have already won three games in a row. Don’t push your luck now.

and the other similar things; You can use this idiom when you don’t want to list every item because the listener already understands the general idea.

We need to buy plates, cups, napkins, and all the rest for the party.

If something catches your eye, it gets your attention.

Your CV caught my eye. You have an impressive experience.

to not take a risk

I don’t want to spend too much money. I want to play it safe before my wedding.

something is so close that it might be dangerous

The fire spread to the building next door. It was too close for comfort.

to pretend that everything is fine even if it's not

I think he is completely broke, but he keeps up appearances.

to be a reliable or likely choice for success

If you want a stable job, teaching is a good bet in this region.

to be strongly influenced by something

My brother is a slave to video games.

to be very gentle and not likely to harm anyone

She looks tough, but she wouldn’t hurt a fly.

the place where something important began

Ancient Greece is often called the cradle of democracy.

to completely surpass someone or something

Their new product blew the competition out of the water.

to treat something as more important than it really is

It was just a small mistake, but the media blew it out of proportion.

a negative mark on someone’s reputation

My father was wrongly accused of corruption. He was proven innocent later, but it remained a blot on his character.

used to say someone will suffer the results of their own decision

If you want to skip school, fine. It’s your funeral!

to use up a large part of something, especially money or time

Paying for the repairs made a big hole in our savings.

to look very pale, usually because of fear, shock or illness

He turned as white as a sheet when I fired him.

to do something when one feels like it, not according to a plan or routine

I write poetry when the spirit moves me.

to be very strong, determined, and not easily affected by pain or emotions

My mother was as tough as nails. Nothing could stop her from achieving her goals.

to be extremely angry

My father was foaming at the mouth when he found out that I was drinking that night.

to be in a situation that is uncertain, unstable, or likely to fail

Many small businesses are now on shaky ground because the government has stopped funding them.

to handle something difficult calmly

I have been a politician for five years now, and I have learned to take criticism in my stride.

a view from high above something

We can hike Table Mountain on Saturday if you want to get a bird’s eye view of Cape Town.

3. Examples in academic writing

If you work in academia, you may have seen many examples of idioms in scientific papers without realising them.

a simple practical rule based on experience

Observations show that galaxies with lower specific star formation rate (SSFR) tend to have older stellar populations. As a rule of thumb, galaxies with SSFR below 10⁻¹⁰ yr⁻¹ are considered quiescent, which means that they have largely stopped forming new stars. 

because of; considering new evidence

Advances in genetic sequencing have revealed that many tumours contain multiple subclonal mutations that evolve over time. In the light of these findings, clinicians now increasingly adopt personalised treatment plans that target the specific molecular profile of each patient’s cancer.

to describe a situation in a way that helps the reader clearly visualise or understand it

The recent decision of the Trump administration to close the USAID has slowed progress in HIV treatment programmes in many Sub-Saharan African countries. This does not paint a good picture for the future of HIV prevention and treatment in the region.

creating the right conditions for something or someone to follow easily

The recent decisions to digitalise birth certificates are expected to pave the way for more efficient data management across public services.

4. Usage in conversation

Are idioms used in conversations?. Yes, idioms are used in conversations. You might also hear or see them in films, series, books, social media, and even business emails. If you learn them, you will understand native speakers better.

Using idiomatic language allows you to express your feelings more precisely. It is more elegant to say I’m over the moon than I’m very happy. Idioms add colour to language by expressing ideas in vivid, memorable ways that simple, literal words can’t.

5. Cultural insights

Idioms give us clues into how people from different cultures think and live. They reflect what matters to them, how they see the world, and how they talk every day. When we learn idioms in different languages, we learn the stories and ideas behind them.

Many cultures express ideas through images that feel familiar to them. For example, when English speakers say break the ice, they want to help people relax and start talking, especially when they don’t know each other well. In Japanese, the idiom 猫の手も借りたい (neko no te mo karitai), which means I would even borrow a cat’s paw, is used to show that someone is so busy that they would ask for help from anyone.

6. Cheat sheet

You can download the cheat sheet below to get a quick reference guide for all the idioms covered in this lesson.