These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation. You will hear them in movies, TV shows, and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

A Blessing in Disguise

Meaning: A good thing that seemed bad at first.

Usage: “Losing my job was a blessing in disguise because I found a better opportunity.”

A Dime a Dozen

Meaning: Something common.

Usage: “Smartphones are a dime a dozen these days, everyone has one.”

Beat Around the Bush

Meaning: Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable.

Usage: “Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened!”

Better Late Than Never

Meaning: Better to arrive late than not to come at all.

Usage: “I know I’m late to the party, but better late than never!”

Bite the Bullet

Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.

Usage: “I hate going to the dentist, but I’ll just bite the bullet and get it done.”

Break a Leg

Meaning: Good luck.

Usage: “You’re going to do great in your performance tonight, break a leg!”

Call It a Day

Meaning: Stop working on something.

Usage: “It’s getting late, I think we should call it a day.”

Cut Somebody Some Slack

Meaning: Don’t be so critical.

Usage: “Cut her some slack, she’s going through a tough time.”

Cutting Corners

Meaning: Doing something poorly in order to save time or money.

Usage: “The company was cutting corners on safety, which led to the accident.”

Easy Does It

Meaning: Slow down.

Usage: “Easy does it, we don’t want to break anything.”

Get Out of Hand

Meaning: Get out of control.

Usage: “The situation at the party got out of hand quickly.”

Get Something Out of Your System

Meaning: Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on.

Usage: “Go on a vacation, get it out of your system, and then focus on your work.”

Get Your Act Together

Meaning: Work better or leave.

Usage: “If you want to keep your job, you need to get your act together.”

Give Someone the Benefit of the Doubt

Meaning: Trust what someone says.

Usage: “She seemed suspicious, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt.”

Go Back to the Drawing Board

Meaning: Start over.

Usage: “The plan didn’t work, so we need to go back to the drawing board.”

Hang in There

Meaning: Don’t give up.

Usage: “I know you’re struggling, but hang in there, things will improve!”

Hit the Sack

Meaning: Go to sleep.

Usage: “I’m exhausted, I think it’s time to hit the sack.”

It’s Not Rocket Science

Meaning: It’s not complicated.

Usage: “You just need to follow the instructions; it’s not rocket science!”

Let Someone Off the Hook

Meaning: To not hold someone responsible for something.

Usage: “We should let him off the hook this time, but next time there will be consequences.”

Make a Long Story Short

Meaning: Tell something briefly.

Usage: “To make a long story short, we ended up getting married!”

Miss the Boat

Meaning: It’s too late.

Usage: “I missed the boat on applying for that job, the deadline passed.”

No Pain, No Gain

Meaning: You have to work for what you want.

Usage: “Training for the marathon is tough, but no pain, no gain.”

Once in a Blue Moon

Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.

Usage: “I only get to visit my hometown once in a blue moon.”

Out of the Blue

Meaning: Something happening unexpectedly.

Usage: “She called me out of the blue after five years of no contact.”

Piece of Cake

Meaning: Something that is very easy to do.

Usage: “The exam was a piece of cake. I finished it in 30 minutes.”

Read Between the Lines

Meaning: Understand a hidden meaning or implication in something.

Usage: “If you read between the lines, you can tell she wasn’t happy with the decision.”

Spill the Beans

Meaning: To reveal a secret or disclose information.

Usage: “He accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.”

The Ball is in Your Court

Meaning: It’s your turn to make a decision or take action.

Usage: “I’ve done all I can to help, now the ball is in your court.”

The Best of Both Worlds

Meaning: A situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two different things at the same time.

Usage: “She has the best of both worlds: a successful career and a happy family life.”

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

Meaning: People who wake up early or start something early have an advantage.

Usage: “I always wake up at 5 a.m. because the early bird catches the worm.”

The Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back

Meaning: The final problem or annoyance that causes a situation to collapse or a person to lose control.

Usage: “The constant delays were bad, but the missed flight was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Through Thick and Thin

Meaning: Support someone in both good and bad times.

Usage: “She has stood by me through thick and thin, and I’m grateful for her friendship.”

Under the Weather

Meaning: Feeling ill or unwell.

Usage: “I won’t be at work today; I’m feeling a bit under the weather.”

When Pigs Fly

Meaning: Something that will never happen.

Usage: “I’ll believe he’ll finish that project on time when pigs fly!”

Wrap Your Head Around Something

Meaning: To understand something that is difficult or complex.

Usage: “It took me a while to wrap my head around the new software update.”

Zero in on

Meaning: To focus or concentrate on something specifically.

Usage: “Let’s zero in on the key points in the report.”

Burn the Midnight Oil

Meaning: To stay up late working on something.

Usage: “I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the project on time.”

By the Skin of Your Teeth

Meaning: To barely succeed or narrowly avoid failure.

Usage: “I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth!”

Cut to the Chase

Meaning: To get to the point, skipping unnecessary details.

Usage: “Let’s cut to the chase. What’s the bottom line?”

Face the Music

Meaning: To accept the consequences of your actions.

Usage: “He knew he had to face the music after missing the deadline.”

Give Someone the Cold Shoulder

Meaning: To intentionally ignore or show indifference to someone.

Usage: “She gave me the cold shoulder after I apologized for my mistake.”

Hit the Nail on the Head

Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.

Usage: “You hit the nail on the head with that suggestion. It’s exactly what we needed.”

In Hot Water

Meaning: To be in trouble or facing difficult consequences.

Usage: “I was in hot water after breaking the vase in the living room.”

Jump the Gun

Meaning: To start something too soon or prematurely.

Usage: “I think we jumped the gun by announcing the product before it was ready.”

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

Meaning: To hope for a favorable outcome.

Usage: “I have an interview tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for me!”

Let the Cat Out of the Bag

Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret or surprise.

Usage: “I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.”

Miss the Boat

Meaning: To miss an opportunity.

Usage: “I missed the boat on investing in that company, and now the stock is up 50%.”

On the Fence

Meaning: To be undecided about something.

Usage: “I’m still on the fence about whether to accept the job offer or not.”

Once in a Blue Moon

Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.

Usage: “I only go to the movies once in a blue moon.”

Play it by Ear

Meaning: To decide how to deal with a situation as it develops.

Usage: “We don’t have a set plan for the trip, we’ll just play it by ear.”

Read the Writing on the Wall

Meaning: To understand that something bad is going to happen.

Usage: “When the company started laying off employees, I could read the writing on the wall.”

Under the Table

Meaning: Done secretly, especially when something dishonest is involved.

Usage: “They offered him money under the table to keep quiet about the issue.”

Wrap Your Head Around Something

Meaning: To understand something that is complex or difficult to comprehend.

Usage: “I can’t wrap my head around how this new technology works.”

Throw in the Towel

Meaning: To give up or admit defeat.

Usage: “After hours of trying to fix the car, I had to throw in the towel.”

Under the Weather

Meaning: To feel ill or unwell.

Usage: “I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I’m staying home.”

Up in the Air

Meaning: Something that is undecided or uncertain.

Usage: “Our vacation plans are still up in the air until we find out about the flight availability.”

Walk on Air

Meaning: To feel extremely happy or euphoric.

Usage: “After receiving the promotion, she was walking on air for days.”

When Pigs Fly

Meaning: Something that will never happen.

Usage: “I’ll believe he’ll clean his room when pigs fly.”

Word of Mouth

Meaning: Information passed by people speaking to each other, rather than through advertising or media.

Usage: “Most of our customers come from word of mouth, they recommend us to their friends.”

Hit the Sack

Meaning: To go to bed or go to sleep.

Usage: “I’m exhausted, I’m going to hit the sack early tonight.”

Hold Your Horses

Meaning: To be patient or wait for something.

Usage: “Hold your horses, we need to wait for everyone to arrive before starting.”

In a Nutshell

Meaning: To describe something in a brief and concise manner.

Usage: “In a nutshell, we need to increase our marketing efforts to boost sales.”

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

Meaning: To stay alert or be on the lookout.

Usage: “Keep your eyes peeled for the email about the meeting schedule.”

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Meaning: To avoid discussing a sensitive issue from the past.

Usage: “I know we had some issues last year, but I think it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.”

Live and Learn

Meaning: A phrase used to express the idea that one learns from experience, especially mistakes.

Usage: “I didn’t realize how hard it would be, but live and learn!”

Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill

Meaning: To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it is.

Usage: “It’s just a minor issue, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

Out of the Blue

Meaning: Something unexpected or surprising.

Usage: “She called me out of the blue after years of not being in touch.”

Pass the Buck

Meaning: To shift responsibility or blame to someone else.

Usage: “Don’t pass the buck. You’re responsible for handling this situation.”

Pull Someone’s Leg

Meaning: To tease or joke with someone in a playful way.

Usage: “I was just pulling your leg, I didn’t really mean it.”

Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

Meaning: To risk everything on a single venture or opportunity.

Usage: “I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket by relying solely on one investment.”

Read Between the Lines

Meaning: To understand the hidden meaning or subtle implication behind something.

Usage: “If you read between the lines, you can tell she’s not happy with the decision.”

Spill the Beans

Meaning: To reveal a secret or disclose information.

Usage: “He spilled the beans about the surprise party, and now everyone knows!”

Steal Someone’s Thunder

Meaning: To take attention or praise away from someone, often by doing something similar or more impressive.

Usage: “She stole my thunder when she announced her promotion right before my big presentation.”