50+ Most Frequently Used English Idioms

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Learn 50+ Most Frequently Used English Idioms to refresh your daily conversations.

An idiom is a word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning. Idioms are common phrases or terms whose meaning is changed, but can be understood by their popular use.

Because idioms can mean something different from what the words mean it is difficult for someone not very good at speaking the language to use them properly. Some idioms are only used by some groups of people or at certain times. The idiom shape up or ship out, which is like saying improve your behavior or leave if you don’t, might be said by an employer or supervisor to an employee, but not to other people.

Learn Useful English Idioms with Pictures

News Idioms

• Bring news of
• Good news
• Have news for
• Hear news of
• Hot off the press
• In the news
• Make news
• News travels fast
• Old news
• Spread the news
• News to me
• Newsflash
• Break the news
• No news is good news
• Be bad news
• That’s news to me

People Idioms

Learn Idioms Describing People in English.

• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• A penny for your thoughts
• A picture is worth a thousand words
• Actions speak louder than words
• Add fuel to the fire
• All in the same boat
• An arm and a leg
• Barking up the wrong tree
• Behind the times
• Bite the bullet
• Blood is thicker than water
• Break a leg
• Bring home the bacon
• Bury the hatchet
• Butter someone up
• Buy a lemon
• Cash cow
• Change of heart
• Cry over spilt milk
• Dead ringer
• Devil’s advocate
• Different strokes for different folks
• Dime a dozen
• Don’t judge a book by its cover
• Every man for himself
• Fell off the back of a truck
• Fit as a fiddle
• Get cold feet
• Give someone the cold shoulder
• Go on a wild goose chase
• Good things come to those who wait
• Hang in there
• Hit the nail on the head
• Hold your horses
• In the same boat
• It takes two to tango
• It’s not rocket science

Happy Idioms

• “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”
• “All’s well that ends well”
• “As happy as a clam”
• “Chasing rainbows”
• “Eat, drink, and be merry”
• “Feeling on top of the world”
• “The grass is always greener on the other side”
• “Happy as a lark”
• “Happy-go-lucky”
• “In high spirits”
• “The world is your oyster”
• “Wearing rose-colored glasses”
• “Whistle while you work”
• “Wrap someone around your little finger”

Sadness Idioms

• “A downer”
• “A wet blanket”
• “A heavy heart”
• “A tear-jerker”
• “A weight on one’s mind”
• “A heart of stone”
• “At a loss”
• “Feeling blue”
• “Feeling down”
• “Feeling low”
• “Feeling under the weather”
• “Hit rock bottom”
• “In a funk”
• “A heavy heart”
• “It’s a crying shame”
• “Lick one’s wounds”
• “The end of the world”
• “Throw in the towel”
• “Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve”

Money Idioms

• “A dime a dozen”
• “A penny for your thoughts”
• “A pretty penny”
• “A penny saved is a penny earned”
• “Break the bank”
• “Cash cow”
• “Cost an arm and a leg”
• “Cry over spilt milk”
• “Filthy rich”
• “In the black”
• “In the red”
• “Money doesn’t grow on trees”
• “Money talks”
• “Money to burn”
• “Money-grubbing”
• “Put your money where your mouth is”
• “Raining money”
• “Scrooge”
• “Throw good money after bad”
• “Tightwad”

English Music Idioms

• “Hit the right note”
• “In harmony”
• “In tune”
• “In a minor key”
• “In a major key”
• “Miss a beat”
• “On key”
• “Play second fiddle”
• “Sing someone’s praises”
• “Sing from the same hymn sheet”
• “Struck a chord”
• “The whole nine yards”
• “Tune out”
• “Hit a sour note”

Medical and Health Idioms

• “A bitter pill to swallow”
• “A cut above”
• “A shot in the arm”
• “A taste of your own medicine”
• “A washout”
• “Ailing”
• “Bite off more than you can chew”
• “Break a leg”
• “Bring home the bacon”
• “Feeling under the weather”
• “Fit as a fiddle”
• “Get back on one’s feet”
• “Get over the hump”
• “Give someone the runaround”
• “Have one foot in the grave”
• “Keep one’s chin up”
• “Knock on wood”
• “Lay an egg”

Others Idioms