50 Idioms of the World with Meanings & Sentences
Idioms of the World
1. Around the world
Meaning: Covering many countries or places globally.
In a Sentence: She has traveled around the world twice for her job.
Other Ways to Say: Globally, Worldwide
2. Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation comfortably.
In a Sentence: At the party, Sara told a joke to break the ice.
Other Ways to Say: Get the ball rolling, Start things off
3. Go the extra mile
Meaning: To do more than what is expected.
In a Sentence: He always goes the extra mile to help his teammates.
Other Ways to Say: Do more, Exceed expectations
4. Spill the beans
Meaning: To reveal a secret.
In a Sentence: Jake accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Other Ways to Say: Let the cat out of the bag, Give away
5. When in Rome
Meaning: Follow local customs and traditions.
In a Sentence: I tried the spicy food—when in Rome, right?
Other Ways to Say: Do as locals do, Adapt to surroundings
6. A stone’s throw
Meaning: A very short distance.
In a Sentence: The museum is just a stone’s throw from the hotel.
Other Ways to Say: Nearby, Very close
7. Take the world by storm
Meaning: Become very popular or successful quickly.
In a Sentence: The new app has taken the world by storm.
Other Ways to Say: Become a sensation, Go viral
8. World at your feet
Meaning: Great success or opportunity is available.
In a Sentence: With her talent, the world is at her feet.
Other Ways to Say: Unlimited potential, Bright future
9. A world of difference
Meaning: A significant or important change.
In a Sentence: A good night’s sleep makes a world of difference.
Other Ways to Say: Big change, Major improvement
10. On top of the world
Meaning: Feeling extremely happy or successful.
In a Sentence: After finishing the marathon, she felt on top of the world.
Other Ways to Say: Overjoyed, Thrilled
11. Think the world of
Meaning: To deeply respect or admire someone.
In a Sentence: He thinks the world of his grandmother.
Other Ways to Say: Admire greatly, Hold in high regard
12. A world apart
Meaning: Very different.
In a Sentence: The twins may look alike but their personalities are a world apart.
Other Ways to Say: Opposites, Very different
13. It’s a small world
Meaning: An expression used when meeting someone unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: I ran into my old teacher in Tokyo—it’s a small world!
Other Ways to Say: What a coincidence, Funny meeting you here
14. In another world
Meaning: Daydreaming or lost in thought.
In a Sentence: He was so lost in his book, he was in another world.
Other Ways to Say: Zoned out, Not paying attention
15. Out of this world
Meaning: Amazing or fantastic.
In a Sentence: The dessert was out of this world!
Other Ways to Say: Incredible, Mind-blowing
16. World-class
Meaning: Of the highest standard.
In a Sentence: She’s a world-class athlete.
Other Ways to Say: Elite, Top-tier
17. Watch the world go by
Meaning: Relaxing while observing life around you.
In a Sentence: I sat at the café and watched the world go by.
Other Ways to Say: People-watch, Relax and observe
18. Man of the world
Meaning: A person who is experienced and sophisticated.
In a Sentence: He’s a man of the world, having worked in five countries.
Other Ways to Say: Cosmopolitan, Sophisticated
19. World-weary
Meaning: Tired or bored of the world and life.
In a Sentence: She had a world-weary look after years of stress.
Other Ways to Say: Jaded, Exhausted by life
20. For all the world
Meaning: Definitely or absolutely.
In a Sentence: He looked for all the world like a movie star.
Other Ways to Say: Without a doubt, Clearly
21. The best of both worlds
Meaning: Enjoying two advantages at the same time.
In a Sentence: Working from home gives me the best of both worlds.
Other Ways to Say: Win-win, Dual benefits
22. A world of one’s own
Meaning: Living in a private or imaginary place.
In a Sentence: She’s always drawing in a world of her own.
Other Ways to Say: Imaginative, Isolated
23. Dead to the world
Meaning: Fast asleep or unaware.
In a Sentence: After the hike, he was dead to the world.
Other Ways to Say: Sound asleep, Out cold
24. Carry the weight of the world
Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed by worries.
In a Sentence: She looked like she was carrying the weight of the world.
Other Ways to Say: Burdened, Overwhelmed
25. Third world
Meaning: Refers to less developed countries (now considered outdated/controversial).
In a Sentence: The charity works in several third-world regions.
Other Ways to Say: Developing countries, Low-income nations
26. Throw in the Towel
Meaning: To give up or admit defeat.
In a Sentence: After several failed attempts, he finally threw in the towel. / She threw in the towel when the challenge became too difficult.
Other Ways to Say: Give up, Surrender
27. Go Dutch
Meaning: Each person pays for themselves.
In a Sentence: We decided to go Dutch on dinner. / Let’s go Dutch so it’s fair for everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Split the bill, Pay individually
28. Under the Weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
In a Sentence: I’m feeling under the weather today, so I’ll skip the meeting. / She stayed in bed all day because she was under the weather.
Other Ways to Say: Not feeling well, Ill
29. A Storm in a Teacup
Meaning: Making a big deal out of something small.
In a Sentence: Their argument was just a storm in a teacup. / That drama at work was really a storm in a teacup.
Other Ways to Say: Overreacting, Making mountains out of molehills
30. The Tip of the Iceberg
Meaning: A small part of a bigger problem.
In a Sentence: This error is just the tip of the iceberg. / What you saw was only the tip of the iceberg.
Other Ways to Say: Just the beginning, Hidden problem
31. Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day
Meaning: Great things take time.
In a Sentence: Be patient—Rome wasn’t built in a day! / Learning to play piano takes time. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Other Ways to Say: Take your time, Big things need patience
32. Have Butterflies in Your Stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or excited.
In a Sentence: I had butterflies in my stomach before my speech. / She always gets butterflies before a test.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous feeling, Jittery
33. In Hot Water
Meaning: In trouble.
In a Sentence: He was in hot water after missing the deadline. / She’s in hot water with the teacher for not doing her homework.
Other Ways to Say: In trouble, Facing consequences
34. The Ball is in Your Court
Meaning: It’s your turn to act or decide.
In a Sentence: I’ve done my part, now the ball is in your court. / The ball is in her court—she has to make the next move.
Other Ways to Say: It’s your decision, Your move
35. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Meaning: What you do matters more than what you say.
In a Sentence: He promised to help, but actions speak louder than words. / Don’t just talk—prove it. Actions speak louder than words.
Other Ways to Say: Show, don’t tell; Deeds matter more
36. Jump on the Bandwagon
Meaning: Join others in doing something popular.
In a Sentence: Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and buying that phone. / She jumped on the bandwagon after seeing its success.
Other Ways to Say: Follow the trend, Copy others
37. Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Meaning: Pursuing the wrong solution or person.
In a Sentence: If you think I broke it, you’re barking up the wrong tree. / He’s barking up the wrong tree by blaming her.
Other Ways to Say: Mistaken, Looking in the wrong place
38. Hit the Nail on the Head
Meaning: To be exactly right.
In a Sentence: You hit the nail on the head with that idea. / His answer hit the nail on the head.
Other Ways to Say: Spot on, Right to the point
39. When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do
Meaning: Follow local customs or culture.
In a Sentence: We wore traditional clothes—when in Rome, do as the Romans do! / You should adapt when traveling.
Other Ways to Say: Follow the crowd, Blend in
40. It’s All Greek to Me
Meaning: It’s confusing or hard to understand.
In a Sentence: This math problem is all Greek to me! / That manual was all Greek to him.
Other Ways to Say: Confusing, Over my head
41. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Meaning: Don’t stir up old problems.
In a Sentence: I won’t bring it up—better to let sleeping dogs lie. / Let’s not revisit that fight.
Other Ways to Say: Leave it alone, Don’t dig into the past
42. Break a Leg
Meaning: Good luck (especially in performing).
In a Sentence: Break a leg in your audition! / She told him to break a leg before the concert.
Other Ways to Say: Good luck, All the best
43. Cross That Bridge When You Come to It
Meaning: Deal with problems only when they arise.
In a Sentence: Don’t worry yet—we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. / Let’s not stress until it happens.
Other Ways to Say: Deal with it later, Worry later
44. Take It with a Grain of Salt
Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.
In a Sentence: I take his advice with a grain of salt. / You should take online reviews with a grain of salt.
Other Ways to Say: Be skeptical, Don’t believe fully
45. Bite the Bullet
Meaning: Do something unpleasant you’ve been avoiding.
In a Sentence: He bit the bullet and apologized. / I finally bit the bullet and visited the dentist.
Other Ways to Say: Face it, Get it over with
46. Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk
Meaning: Don’t worry about things you can’t change.
In a Sentence: It’s done—don’t cry over spilled milk. / No point in crying over what’s gone.
Other Ways to Say: Move on, Let it go
47. Burn the Midnight Oil
Meaning: Stay up late working.
In a Sentence: She burned the midnight oil studying. / I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report.
Other Ways to Say: Work late, Stay up working
48. Out of the Blue
Meaning: Unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: He called out of the blue. / The storm came out of the blue.
Other Ways to Say: All of a sudden, Unexpectedly
49. A Blessing in Disguise
Meaning: Something good that seemed bad at first.
In a Sentence: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise. / That delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden benefit, Unexpected good
50. Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Meaning: Rely on one thing too much.
In a Sentence: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—invest in different areas. / She put all her eggs in one basket with that project.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t risk everything, Diversify
