50 Idioms About Teeth With Meanings & Sentences
Idioms About Teeth
1. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Just barely; by a narrow margin.
In a Sentence: He passed the test by the skin of his teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Just in time, Barely made it
2. Cut your teeth
Meaning: To gain experience or learn something for the first time.
In a Sentence: She cut her teeth on small projects before becoming a successful designer.
Other Ways to Say: Start learning, Gain experience
3. Fight tooth and nail
Meaning: To fight very fiercely or with great determination.
In a Sentence: They fought tooth and nail to save their home from foreclosure.
Other Ways to Say: Fight hard, Resist strongly
4. Show your teeth
Meaning: To act aggressively or assertively.
In a Sentence: The dog showed its teeth when the stranger approached.
Other Ways to Say: Act tough, Stand firm
5. Sink your teeth into
Meaning: To do something with great enthusiasm and focus.
In a Sentence: I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the new project.
Other Ways to Say: Get deeply involved, Fully commit
6. Long in the tooth
Meaning: Getting old or aging.
In a Sentence: He’s a bit long in the tooth to be playing professional football.
Other Ways to Say: Aging, Getting older
7. Armed to the teeth
Meaning: Heavily equipped with weapons or tools.
In a Sentence: The soldiers were armed to the teeth for the mission.
Other Ways to Say: Fully equipped, Loaded up
8. Sweet tooth
Meaning: A strong liking for sugary foods.
In a Sentence: I can’t say no to dessert—I have a serious sweet tooth.
Other Ways to Say: Sugar lover, Craving sweets
9. Set your teeth on edge
Meaning: To annoy or irritate intensely.
In a Sentence: The sound of chalk on the board sets my teeth on edge.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy, Make cringe
10. Lie through your teeth
Meaning: To lie blatantly and without remorse.
In a Sentence: He lied through his teeth about where he was last night.
Other Ways to Say: Tell bold lies, Be dishonest
11. Kick in the teeth
Meaning: A cruel or disappointing event.
In a Sentence: Losing the promotion was a real kick in the teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Disappointment, Harsh setback
12. Get your teeth into
Meaning: To become deeply involved or engaged in something.
In a Sentence: She got her teeth into the new business idea immediately.
Other Ways to Say: Engage fully, Dive in
13. Have something by the teeth
Meaning: To barely hold on to something or succeed.
In a Sentence: He had the deal by the teeth, but it slipped away.
Other Ways to Say: Barely succeed, Hang by a thread
14. Grit your teeth
Meaning: To endure pain or hardship with determination.
In a Sentence: He gritted his teeth and carried on despite the injury.
Other Ways to Say: Bear it, Push through
15. Give your eye teeth for
Meaning: To want something very badly.
In a Sentence: I’d give my eye teeth to go on that trip.
Other Ways to Say: Want desperately, Long for
16. Teeth of the storm
Meaning: The most intense or dangerous part of something.
In a Sentence: We were caught in the very teeth of the storm.
Other Ways to Say: In the thick of it, Center of chaos
17. Cut someone to the teeth
Meaning: To insult or attack someone deeply.
In a Sentence: Her harsh words cut him to the teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Deeply offend, Hurt badly
18. Bare your teeth
Meaning: To show hostility or readiness to fight.
In a Sentence: The politician bared his teeth during the debate.
Other Ways to Say: Show aggression, Prepare to attack
19. Snap at someone’s heels
Meaning: To closely pursue or compete with someone.
In a Sentence: The rookie is snapping at the veteran’s heels for the top spot.
Other Ways to Say: Catching up, On their tail
20. Gnash your teeth
Meaning: To express anger or frustration, especially silently.
In a Sentence: He sat there gnashing his teeth as the verdict was read.
Other Ways to Say: Fume silently, Boil with anger
21. Kick in the molars
Meaning: A painful or insulting blow.
In a Sentence: Getting rejected by her best friend felt like a kick in the molars.
Other Ways to Say: Harsh treatment, Emotional blow
22. Show fangs
Meaning: To show aggression or competitive nature.
In a Sentence: The team showed their fangs in the second half of the game.
Other Ways to Say: Turn aggressive, Fight back
23. To the teeth
Meaning: Fully or excessively (usually in preparation).
In a Sentence: He was dressed to the teeth for the gala.
Other Ways to Say: Fully equipped, All out
24. Toothless threat
Meaning: A threat that lacks power or seriousness.
In a Sentence: His warning was just a toothless threat.
Other Ways to Say: Empty threat, Powerless warning
25. Sink your fangs into
Meaning: To attack or engage eagerly.
In a Sentence: The critic sank her fangs into the poorly written book.
Other Ways to Say: Tear into, Criticize harshly
26. Bite your teeth together
Meaning: To suppress emotion or endure pain silently.
In a Sentence: She bit her teeth together and walked away calmly.
Other Ways to Say: Hold it in, Stay composed
27. Get your teeth kicked in
Meaning: To be harshly defeated or humiliated.
In a Sentence: The team got their teeth kicked in during the playoffs.
Other Ways to Say: Be crushed, Suffer defeat
28. Clench your teeth
Meaning: To physically or emotionally prepare for something tough.
In a Sentence: He clenched his teeth before jumping into the icy water.
Other Ways to Say: Brace yourself, Prepare mentally
29. Tooth and claw
Meaning: With intense force or aggression.
In a Sentence: They fought tooth and claw for the inheritance.
Other Ways to Say: Fiercely, Without mercy
30. A bit long in the tooth
Meaning: Slightly old or past one’s prime.
In a Sentence: He’s a bit long in the tooth to play action roles now.
Other Ways to Say: Aging, Over the hill
31. Pull teeth
Meaning: To do something very difficult or unpleasant.
In a Sentence: Getting him to admit his mistake was like pulling teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely hard, Painfully slow
32. Have a tooth for something
Meaning: To have a strong liking for something.
In a Sentence: She has a tooth for adventure and travel.
Other Ways to Say: Crave, Be passionate about
33. Like pulling hen’s teeth
Meaning: Extremely rare or difficult.
In a Sentence: Honest politicians are like pulling hen’s teeth these days.
Other Ways to Say: Very rare, Almost impossible
34. Have teeth
Meaning: To have power or effectiveness.
In a Sentence: The new policy finally has teeth—there are real consequences now.
Other Ways to Say: Be effective, Have authority
35. Sink your teeth in
Meaning: Get fully involved with enthusiasm.
In a Sentence: He couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into the new role.
Other Ways to Say: Get immersed, Dive in
36. Cut to the bone (teeth variation)
Meaning: Hurt or affect deeply.
In a Sentence: His insult cut her to the bone.
Other Ways to Say: Deeply wound, Strong emotional impact
37. Knock someone’s teeth out
Meaning: To physically or metaphorically strike hard.
In a Sentence: The scandal knocked the candidate’s political teeth out.
Other Ways to Say: Devastate, Crush
38. Sink your teeth into the meat
Meaning: To get to the most interesting or important part.
In a Sentence: Let’s skip the intro and sink our teeth into the real issue.
Other Ways to Say: Get serious, Get to the core
39. To bite deep
Meaning: To have a lasting effect.
In a Sentence: Her words bit deep and stayed with him for days.
Other Ways to Say: Leave an impression, Cut deep
40. A smile full of teeth
Meaning: A smile that seems forced or aggressive.
In a Sentence: He gave a smile full of teeth but there was no warmth in his eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Fake smile, Hostile grin
41. Cold as a dentist’s teeth
Meaning: Very cold or emotionless.
In a Sentence: Her response was as cold as a dentist’s teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionless, Indifferent
42. Bite the bit
Meaning: To become impatient or eager.
In a Sentence: She was biting the bit to get started on the project.
Other Ways to Say: Eager, Can’t wait
43. Sink your teeth into someone
Meaning: To strongly criticize or attack someone.
In a Sentence: The media sank their teeth into the politician’s scandal.
Other Ways to Say: Go after, Criticize intensely
44. Hold in your teeth
Meaning: To hold back emotion or reaction.
In a Sentence: He held the tears in his teeth during the speech.
Other Ways to Say: Suppress feelings, Stay strong
45. Toothpick legs
Meaning: Very thin or skinny legs.
In a Sentence: He walked on stage with those toothpick legs and stole the show.
Other Ways to Say: Skinny legs, Thin frame
46. Bare teeth and snarl
Meaning: To show anger openly.
In a Sentence: He bared his teeth and snarled at the interruption.
Other Ways to Say: Express rage, Lash out
47. All gums and no teeth
Meaning: All talk, no power.
In a Sentence: His threats were all gums and no teeth.
Other Ways to Say: Ineffective, No real danger
48. Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: To harm someone who helps you.
In a Sentence: He bit the hand that fed him by leaking company secrets.
Other Ways to Say: Betray your benefactor, Show ingratitude
49. Have a gold tooth
Meaning: To flaunt wealth or style.
In a Sentence: He walked in with a gold tooth and flashy rings.
Other Ways to Say: Show off, Flashy look
50. Chew someone out
Meaning: To scold or reprimand someone harshly.
In a Sentence: The coach chewed him out for missing practice.
Other Ways to Say: Yell at, Criticize harshly
