50 Idioms for Advice with Meanings & Sentences
Idioms for Advice
1. Sleep on it
Meaning: Wait until the next day to decide.
In a Sentence: I didn’t know if I should buy the bike, so my mom told me to sleep on it. / Before choosing a new puppy, dad said to sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Think it over / Take your time
2. Don’t cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Don’t stay upset about something that already happened.
In a Sentence: I forgot my homework, but my teacher said not to cry over spilled milk. / My brother lost his toy, but mom told him it’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Other Ways to Say: Let it go / What’s done is done
3. Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously
In a Sentence: He tends to exaggerate, so take his advice with a grain of salt.
Other Ways to Say: Be skeptical / Don’t believe everything
4. Look before you leap
Meaning: Think carefully before acting
In a Sentence: She wanted to quit her job, but her dad said to look before she leaps.
Other Ways to Say: Think ahead / Be cautious
5. Hindsight is 20/20
Meaning: It’s easier to see the right decision after something has happened
In a Sentence: I shouldn’t have trusted him, but hindsight is 20/20.
Other Ways to Say: Easy to judge after / Clear in retrospect
6. Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: Don’t take on more than you can handle
In a Sentence: I signed up for five classes, and my teacher said not to bite off more than I can chew.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t overcommit / Take it slow
7. Better safe than sorry
Meaning: It’s wiser to be cautious
In a Sentence: I wore a helmet just in case—better safe than sorry.
Other Ways to Say: Be careful / Avoid risk
8. A word to the wise
Meaning: A small suggestion for someone who will understand it
In a Sentence: A word to the wise: don’t go hiking without water.
Other Ways to Say: Just a tip / Here’s a hint
9. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Don’t assume something will happen before it does
In a Sentence: He expected the promotion, but his manager told him not to count his chickens before they hatch.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t get ahead of yourself / Wait and see
10. Cross that bridge when you come to it
Meaning: Don’t worry about problems before they happen
In a Sentence: What if it rains on our trip? Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.
Other Ways to Say: Deal with it later / No need to stress yet
11. Two heads are better than one
Meaning: It’s better to solve problems with help
In a Sentence: I asked my friend to help with my science project—two heads are better than one.
Other Ways to Say: Teamwork helps / Collaborate
12. Listen to your gut
Meaning: Trust your instincts
In a Sentence: I didn’t feel good about the deal, and I listened to my gut.
Other Ways to Say: Go with your feelings / Trust your intuition
13. Learn from your mistakes
Meaning: Use failure as a lesson
In a Sentence: I failed my test, but I’ll study harder next time and learn from my mistakes.
Other Ways to Say: Take it as a lesson / Improve from failure
14. When in doubt, don’t
Meaning: If unsure, avoid doing it
In a Sentence: I wasn’t sure about buying the car, and my uncle said, “When in doubt, don’t.”
Other Ways to Say: Hold off / Trust your doubts
15. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: Don’t depend on one thing
In a Sentence: She applied to many universities, not just one—she didn’t put all her eggs in one basket.
Other Ways to Say: Have a backup / Spread the risk
16. Think outside the box
Meaning: Be creative
In a Sentence: For your science project, think outside the box to stand out.
Other Ways to Say: Be original / Innovate
17. Take the high road
Meaning: Do the right thing, even when it’s hard
In a Sentence: He was rude, but I chose to take the high road.
Other Ways to Say: Be mature / Do the right thing
18. Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: Accomplish two things at once
In a Sentence: I ran errands while walking the dog—killed two birds with one stone.
Other Ways to Say: Save time / Be efficient
19. Take a step back
Meaning: Pause to think clearly
In a Sentence: I took a step back before replying to the angry email.
Other Ways to Say: Reflect / Think calmly
20. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: Don’t overreact
In a Sentence: It was a minor mistake—don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Other Ways to Say: Stay calm / Don’t exaggerate
21. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something
In a Sentence: I wanted to argue, but I bit my tongue.
Other Ways to Say: Stay silent / Hold back
22. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: Don’t bring up old problems
In a Sentence: We had resolved the fight, so I let sleeping dogs lie.
Other Ways to Say: Leave it alone / Don’t stir up trouble
23. Don’t jump to conclusions
Meaning: Don’t decide too quickly
In a Sentence: You don’t know the whole story, so don’t jump to conclusions.
Other Ways to Say: Wait for facts / Be patient
24. Keep your cool
Meaning: Stay calm
In a Sentence: Even when things went wrong, she kept her cool.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t panic / Stay composed
25. Turn the other cheek
Meaning: Ignore insults or attacks
In a Sentence: Instead of arguing, he turned the other cheek.
Other Ways to Say: Let it go / Stay peaceful
26. Don’t rock the boat
Meaning: Don’t cause trouble
In a Sentence: The team was doing well, so I didn’t want to rock the boat.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t interfere / Keep it smooth
27. Don’t burn your bridges
Meaning: Don’t destroy relationships
In a Sentence: I left the company respectfully so I wouldn’t burn any bridges.
Other Ways to Say: Leave on good terms / Stay connected
28. Know which way the wind blows
Meaning: Understand the situation before acting
In a Sentence: Before making a decision, he wanted to know which way the wind blows.
Other Ways to Say: Read the room / Assess things first
29. Slow and steady wins the race
Meaning: Being consistent is better than rushing
In a Sentence: I studied a little every day—slow and steady wins the race.
Other Ways to Say: Take your time / Be patient
30. Don’t judge a book by its cover
Meaning: Don’t make decisions based on appearance
In a Sentence: He looked grumpy, but he was kind—don’t judge a book by its cover.
Other Ways to Say: Look deeper / Give it a chance
31. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: Don’t harm those who help you
In a Sentence: He criticized his mentor, but I warned him not to bite the hand that feeds him.
Other Ways to Say: Respect your supporters / Be grateful
32. Take it one step at a time
Meaning: Don’t rush; go slowly
In a Sentence: I was overwhelmed, so my mom said to take it one step at a time.
Other Ways to Say: Go slowly / Pace yourself
33. 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.
Other Ways to Say: Show, don’t tell / Let results speak
34. Follow your heart
Meaning: Trust your emotions
In a Sentence: When choosing a major, she decided to follow her heart.
Other Ways to Say: Go with your passion / Trust yourself
35. You can’t please everyone
Meaning: Not everyone will be happy with your decisions
In a Sentence: I followed my dream job, knowing you can’t please everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Do what’s right for you / Ignore the critics
36. What goes around comes around
Meaning: Your actions will return to you
In a Sentence: He was kind to others because he believed what goes around comes around.
Other Ways to Say: Karma / You reap what you sow
37. Let your conscience be your guide
Meaning: Do what you believe is right
In a Sentence: When unsure, let your conscience be your guide.
Other Ways to Say: Trust your morals / Follow your heart
38. Don’t take it personally
Meaning: It’s not about you
In a Sentence: The criticism was about the work—don’t take it personally.
Other Ways to Say: Stay objective / Don’t be sensitive
39. Think twice
Meaning: Reconsider your decision
In a Sentence: Before spending that much, think twice.
Other Ways to Say: Reevaluate / Take a second look
40. Put yourself in someone’s shoes
Meaning: Try to understand their perspective
In a Sentence: Before judging her, try putting yourself in her shoes.
Other Ways to Say: Be empathetic / See their side
41. Don’t take the bait
Meaning: Don’t react to provocation
In a Sentence: He was trying to argue, but I didn’t take the bait.
Other Ways to Say: Stay calm / Avoid the trap
42. Take a rain check
Meaning: Postpone something
In a Sentence: I’m busy today, can I take a rain check on lunch?
Other Ways to Say: Reschedule / Try again later
43. Don’t reinvent the wheel
Meaning: Use what already works
In a Sentence: We used last year’s plan—no need to reinvent the wheel.
Other Ways to Say: Stick to the basics / Use proven methods
44. Read between the lines
Meaning: Understand the hidden meaning
In a Sentence: His words were polite, but if you read between the lines, he was upset.
Other Ways to Say: Catch the hint / Look deeper
45. Roll with the punches
Meaning: Adjust to difficulties
In a Sentence: The project kept changing, so I had to roll with the punches.
Other Ways to Say: Adapt / Go with the flow
46. Keep your eyes on the prize
Meaning: Stay focused on your goal
In a Sentence: Even with setbacks, she kept her eyes on the prize.
Other Ways to Say: Stay determined / Stay goal-oriented
47. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night
In a Sentence: He burned the midnight oil before his exams.
Other Ways to Say: Stay up working / Work overtime
48. Don’t beat around the bush
Meaning: Say what you mean
In a Sentence: Stop avoiding the topic—don’t beat around the bush.
Other Ways to Say: Be direct / Get to the point
49. Keep your nose to the grindstone
Meaning: Work hard consistently
In a Sentence: She kept her nose to the grindstone all semester.
Other Ways to Say: Stay focused / Work diligently
50. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to take action
In a Sentence: I gave you all the facts—now the ball is in your court.
Other Ways to Say: It’s your decision / Up to you
