60+ Idioms for Life: Mastering Everyday Expressions

Life is full of twists, turns, challenges, and triumphs — and the English language captures all of it through powerful and colorful idioms for life. These expressions reflect the ups and downs we all face, offering wisdom, humor, and perspective in just a few words.

Whether it’s “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” or “roll with the punches,” idioms help us talk about life in ways that are relatable, meaningful, and memorable. Using life-related idioms adds richness to your communication, allowing you to express complex thoughts and emotions with clarity and flair.

They often carry deep cultural meaning and are used in everyday conversations, literature, and motivational speech to offer insight, encouragement, or a dose of humor.

Examples of Idioms for Life

Here, we’ll explore a wide range of idioms that beautifully capture the experience of living. With explanations and examples, you’ll be ready to use them naturally as you talk about life’s journey.

Table of Contents

Idioms about Challenges and Difficulties

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Hit a snag	Encounter an unexpected problem	We hit a snag in our project when the funding was delayed.
Be in hot water	Be in trouble	He’s in hot water with his boss for being late again.
Go through the wringer	Experience a difficult or exhausting ordeal	She went through the wringer during her divorce.
Face the music	Accept the consequences of one’s actions	He knew he had to face the music after lying to his parents.
Bite the bullet	Force oneself to do something unpleasant or difficult	I had to bite the bullet and tell him the truth.
A hard pill to swallow	A difficult fact to accept	Losing the game was a hard pill to swallow.
Against the clock	Rushing to meet a deadline	We were working against the clock to finish the report on time.
Barking up the wrong tree	Pursuing a mistaken idea or course of action	If you think I’m the one who broke the vase, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
A storm in a teacup	A lot of unnecessary excitement about something trivial	Their argument was just a storm in a teacup; they’ll be friends again soon.
When it rains, it pours	When bad things happen, they tend to happen all at once	First, I lost my job, and then my car broke down. When it rains, it pours!
Between a rock and a hard place	Faced with two equally difficult choices	I was between a rock and a hard place: quit my job or work for a terrible boss.
Get something off your chest	Confess something that has been bothering you	I needed to get it off my chest and tell her how I really felt.
Keep your head above water	Manage to survive financially or otherwise	It’s hard to keep your head above water with the rising cost of living.
On the ropes	Close to defeat or failure	The company was on the ropes before the new CEO took over.
Skating on thin ice	Taking a risk; in a precarious situation	He’s skating on thin ice with his constant tardiness.
The last straw	The final problem in a series of problems that makes you lose patience	His constant complaining was the last straw; I couldn’t take it anymore.
Up against it	Facing great difficulties	We were really up against it when the project was delayed.
Walking on eggshells	Being very careful not to offend someone	I feel like I’m walking on eggshells around my boss lately.
A thorn in one’s side	A persistent problem or annoyance	That leaky faucet is a real thorn in my side.
Tough row to hoe	A difficult task to undertake	Trying to start a business in this economy is a tough row to hoe.

Idioms about Success and Achievement

Celebrating success is an important part of life. Here are some idioms to describe achieving goals and experiencing positive outcomes.

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Hit the jackpot	Have great success or good fortune	They hit the jackpot when their invention became a bestseller.
Make a killing	Earn a lot of money quickly	He made a killing in the stock market.
Come out on top	Be the winner; succeed despite difficulties	Despite the challenges, she came out on top in the competition.
Go places	Be successful in the future	He’s a talented young man; he’s going places.
On the ball	Alert and competent	Our new employee is really on the ball; she learns quickly.
A feather in one’s cap	An achievement to be proud of	Winning the award was a real feather in her cap.
Knock it out of the park	Do something exceptionally well	He knocked it out of the park with his presentation.
Make the grade	Reach the required standard	She worked hard and finally made the grade in her exams.
Pass with flying colors	Succeed easily and impressively	He passed the test with flying colors.
Reap the rewards	Enjoy the benefits of one’s efforts	After years of hard work, they are finally reaping the rewards.
Strike gold	Discover something very valuable or successful	The company struck gold with its new product line.
Take off	Become successful or popular quickly	Her career really took off after she published her first book.
At the top of your game	Performing at your best	The athlete is at the top of his game right now.
Ahead of the curve	More advanced or innovative than others	The company is ahead of the curve in its use of technology.
Climb the ladder	Advance in a profession or organization	He worked hard to climb the corporate ladder.
Get your foot in the door	Get a first opportunity to work in a particular organization or field	Interning is a great way to get your foot in the door.
Make a name for yourself	Become well-known and respected	She is determined to make a name for herself in the art world.
On easy street	In a comfortable financial situation	After winning the lottery, they were on easy street.
Rest on your laurels	Be satisfied with past achievements and not make an effort to continue to succeed	He achieved a lot early in his career, but he didn’t rest on his laurels and continued to work hard.
Smooth sailing	Easy and without problems	Once we got past the initial challenges, it was smooth sailing.

Idioms about Relationships

Relationships are a fundamental part of life, and there are many idioms to describe the dynamics of human connections.

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
See eye to eye	Agree with someone	They don’t always see eye to eye on political issues.
Get along with	Have a good relationship with someone	I get along with my colleagues very well.
On the same wavelength	Thinking in a similar way	We’re on the same wavelength; we understand each other perfectly.
Bury the hatchet	Make peace after a quarrel	They decided to bury the hatchet and become friends again.
Clear the air	Resolve a misunderstanding or tension	We need to clear the air after our argument.
Fall out with	Have a disagreement and stop being friends	They fell out with each other over a business deal.
Hit it off	Immediately like each other	We hit it off as soon as we met.
Tie the knot	Get married	They decided to tie the knot after dating for five years.
Wear your heart on your sleeve	Display your emotions openly	She wears her heart on her sleeve, so everyone knows how she’s feeling.
A shoulder to cry on	Someone who offers sympathy and support	She’s always been a shoulder to cry on for her friends.
Birds of a feather flock together	People who are similar tend to associate with each other	They’re both artists; birds of a feather flock together.
Close to someone’s heart	Important or dear to someone	This charity is very close to her heart.
Get off on the wrong foot	Start a relationship badly	They got off on the wrong foot when they first met.
Have a soft spot for someone	Feel affection for someone	He has a soft spot for his younger sister.
Keep someone at arm’s length	Avoid being too friendly or close to someone	She keeps most people at arm’s length.
Like two peas in a pod	Very similar and always together	They’re like two peas in a pod; they do everything together.
Lovey-dovey	Excessively affectionate	They’re always so lovey-dovey in public.
On the rocks	Experiencing difficulties (usually in a relationship)	Their marriage has been on the rocks for a while now.
Through thick and thin	Through good times and bad times	They’ve been together through thick and thin.
Two’s company, three’s a crowd	A third person would spoil the intimacy of two people	Let’s go out just the two of us; two’s company, three’s a crowd.

Idioms about Time and Aging

Time is a constant presence in our lives, and many idioms reflect our perception of its passage and the aging process.

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Time flies	Time passes quickly	Time flies when you’re having fun.
Against time	In a hurry to meet a deadline	We’re racing against time to finish the project.
Around the clock	All day and all night	The hospital staff works around the clock to care for patients.
Better late than never	It’s better to do something late than not at all	I know I’m late, but better late than never.
Call it a day	Stop working on something	Let’s call it a day and finish the rest tomorrow.
In the nick of time	Just in time	We arrived at the airport in the nick of time.
Once in a blue moon	Very rarely	We only go to that restaurant once in a blue moon.
The time is ripe	The perfect time to do something	The time is ripe for us to launch our new product.
Turn back the clock	Return to an earlier time	I wish I could turn back the clock and make different choices.
A blast from the past	Something that reminds you of the past	Seeing that old photo was a blast from the past.
Back to the drawing board	Start over from the beginning	The project failed, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Day in, day out	Every day for a long period of time	I do the same thing day in, day out.
For the time being	Temporarily	I’m living with my parents for the time being.
Get a new lease on life	Experience a renewed sense of energy and purpose	After retiring, he got a new lease on life.
Lost track of time	Not be aware of how much time has passed	I was so engrossed in the book that I lost track of time.
Make up for lost time	Do something quickly to compensate for lost time	We need to make up for lost time and work harder.
On borrowed time	Living longer than expected	After his heart surgery, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.
Take your time	Not rush	Take your time; there’s no need to hurry.
The eleventh hour	The last possible moment	They reached an agreement at the eleventh hour.
Behind the times	Old-fashioned; not up-to-date	His ideas are a little behind the times.

Idioms about Decisions and Choices

Making decisions is an integral part of life. The following idioms reflect the process of making choices and dealing with their consequences.

Idiom	Meaning	Example Sentence
Call the shots	Be in charge; make the decisions	The manager calls the shots in this department.
Cross that bridge when you come to it	Deal with a problem when it arises	We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Get the ball rolling	Start something	Let’s get the ball rolling on this project.
Make up your mind	Decide	I can’t make up my mind about which car to buy.
On the fence	Undecided	I’m still on the fence about whether to accept the job offer.
Take the plunge	Make a decision despite feeling nervous	I decided to take the plunge and start my own business.
Weigh your options	Consider the choices carefully	You should weigh your options before making a decision.
A leap of faith	An act of believing in something when proof is not available	Starting the business was a leap of faith, but it paid off.
Back to square one	Start over from the beginning	The deal fell through, so we’re back to square one.
Burn your bridges	Do something that makes it impossible to return to a previous situation	He burned his bridges when he quit his job without notice.
Go out on a limb	Take a risk	I’m going out on a limb and predicting that the team will win.
Have it both ways	Get the benefits of two conflicting situations	You can’t have it both ways; you have to choose one or the other.
In two minds	Unable to decide	I’m in two minds about whether to go to the party.
No-brainer	An easy decision	Accepting the job offer was a no-brainer.
Play it safe	Avoid risks	I decided to play it safe and invest in a low-risk fund.
Second thoughts	Doubts after making a decision	I’m having second thoughts about moving to a new city.
Take a back seat	Allow someone else to take control	I decided to take a back seat and let him lead the project.
The lesser of two evils	The less unpleasant of two bad choices	Choosing between the two candidates was choosing the lesser of two evils.
Think outside the box	Think creatively and unconventionally	We need to think outside the box to solve this problem.
When the rubber meets the road	When something is put to the test; the moment of truth	When the rubber meets the road, we’ll see if our plan works.

Usage Rules for Idioms

Using idioms correctly requires understanding their specific meanings and contexts. Here are some important rules to keep in mind:

Do not take idioms literally: The meaning of an idiom is figurative, not literal.
Use idioms appropriately: Consider the audience and the situation. Idioms are generally more suitable for informal conversations than formal writing.
Be aware of regional variations: Some idioms are more common in certain regions or countries than others.
Pay attention to grammar: Ensure that the idiom fits grammatically into the sentence. For example, the verb tense should be correct.
Context is key: The meaning of an idiom can change depending on the context in which it is used.

In many cases, the meaning of an idiom can be guessed from the context, but it’s always best to confirm its meaning in a dictionary or with a native speaker. Over time, with exposure and practice, the correct usage of idioms will become more natural.

Common Mistakes with Idioms

Using idioms incorrectly can lead to misunderstandings or sound awkward. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He was pulling my leg.	He was pulling my leg.	This idiom is correct as is. It means to tease or joke with someone.
It’s raining cats and dogs.	It’s raining cats and dogs.	This idiom is correct as is. It means it’s raining very heavily.
I am feeling under the weather.	I am feeling under the weather.	This idiom is correct as is. It means to feel unwell or slightly sick.
Break a leg!	Break a leg!	This idiom is correct as is. It is used to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.
He hit the nail in the head.	He hit the nail on the head.	The correct idiom is “hit the nail on the head,” not “in.”
I’m all ears.	I’m all ears.	This idiom is correct as is. It means you are listening attentively.
He let the cat out from the bag.	He let the cat out of the bag.	The correct idiom is “let the cat out of the bag,” not “from.”
It costs an arm and leg.	It costs an arm and a leg.	The correct idiom is “an arm and a leg,” not “arm and leg.”
Once at a blue moon.	Once in a blue moon.	The correct idiom is “once in a blue moon,” not “at.”
Take it with a grain of salt.	Take it with a pinch of salt.	The correct idiom is “take it with a pinch of salt,” not “grain.”

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of idioms with the following exercises. Choose the correct idiom to complete each sentence.

Exercise 1: Choose the correct idiom.

Question	Options	Answer
1. After failing the exam, he had to ________ and study harder.	a) face the music, b) bite the bullet, c) hit a snag	b) bite the bullet
2. They ________ when they discovered they had similar interests.	a) hit it off, b) fell out with, c) see eye to eye	a) hit it off
3. We’re ________ to finish the project by the deadline.	a) against time, b) time flies, c) call it a day	a) against time
4. It was a ________ decision to invest in that company.	a) on the fence, b) no-brainer, c) weigh your options	b) no-brainer
5. After a difficult year, they are finally ________ of their hard work.	a) striking gold, b) reaping the rewards, c) making a killing	b) reaping the rewards
6. The company was ________ after the scandal.	a) on the ropes, b) on easy street, c) at the top of their game	a) on the ropes
7. They decided to ________ and resolve their differences.	a) bury the hatchet, b) get off on the wrong foot, c) wear their heart on their sleeve	a) bury the hatchet
8. Sometimes it feels like I’m just ________, doing the same thing every day.	a) lost track of time, b) making up for lost time, c) day in, day out	c) day in, day out
9. She decided to ________ and start her own business.	a) take a back seat, b) take the plunge, c) think outside the box	b) take the plunge
10. His ideas are a little ________; he needs to modernize his approach.	a) behind the times, b) around the clock, c) better late than never	a) behind the times

[/su_table] Exercise 2: Fill in the blank with the correct idiom.

Question	Answer
1. He had to ________ after he lied to his boss.	face the music
2. They ________ when they realized they both loved hiking.	were on the same wavelength
3. It’s hard to ________ with the rising cost of living.	keep your head above water
4. After years of saving, they are finally ________.	on easy street
5. They ________ over a minor disagreement.	fell out with each other
6. Winning the championship was a real ________ for the team.	feather in their cap
7. Let’s ________ and discuss our problems openly.	clear the air
8. He felt like he was ________ after surviving the accident.	living on borrowed time
9. We need to ________ to solve this complex issue.	think outside the box
10. We’ll ________ when the funding is approved.	get the ball rolling

[/su_table]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to learn idioms?The best way to learn idioms is through exposure and practice. Read widely, listen to native speakers, and try to use idioms in your own conversations and writing. Flashcards and online resources can also be helpful, but the key is to actively engage with the language.
How can I avoid using idioms incorrectly?To avoid using idioms incorrectly, always double-check their meaning in a dictionary or with a native speaker. Pay attention to the context in which the idiom is used and make sure it fits grammatically into the sentence. If you’re unsure, it’s better to use a more literal expression.
Are idioms the same in all English-speaking countries?No, idioms can vary significantly between different English-speaking countries and regions. Some idioms are specific to the United States, while others are more common in the United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada. Be aware of these regional variations and try to learn idioms that are relevant to the context in which you are communicating.
Why are idioms important for language learners?Idioms are important for language learners because they are a vital part of everyday communication. Understanding idioms will help you comprehend native speakers and express yourself more naturally. Mastering idioms can also improve your overall fluency and confidence in the English language.
How can I tell if a phrase is an idiom?You can tell if a phrase is an idiom if its meaning is different from the literal meanings of the individual words it contains. If the phrase sounds strange or nonsensical when taken literally, it is likely an idiom. Consulting a dictionary or asking a native speaker can confirm your suspicion.
Is it okay to mix idioms from different regions?While it’s generally best to stick to idioms that are commonly used in the region you’re in, mixing idioms from different regions is not necessarily wrong, but it might sound a bit unusual to native speakers. It’s more important to use idioms correctly and appropriately than to worry too much about regional variations. However,it’s a good idea to be aware of the origin of the idiom and who you are speaking to.

Conclusion

Idioms are a fascinating and essential aspect of the English language. By understanding their meanings, usage rules, and common pitfalls, you can significantly enhance your communication skills and cultural understanding.

Continue to practice and explore new idioms to enrich your vocabulary and express yourself more vividly. Whether you’re navigating challenges, celebrating successes, or building relationships, idioms offer a colorful and expressive way to convey your thoughts and feelings.