Most Common English idioms

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These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at first as part of a sentence

A dime a dozen Something common as part of a sentence

Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable as part of a sentence

Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all by itself

Bite the bullet To get something over with because it is inevitable as part of a sentence

Break a leg Good luck by itself

Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a sentence

Cut somebody some slack Don't be so critical as part of a sentence

Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order to save time or money as part of a sentence

Easy does it Slow down by itself

Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a sentence

Get something out of your system Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on as part of a sentence

Get your act together Work better or leave by itself

Give someone the benefit of the doubt Trust what someone says as part of a sentence

Go back to the drawing board Start over as part of a sentence

Hang in there Don't give up by itself

Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a sentence

It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself

Let someone off the hook To not hold someone responsible for something as part of a sentence

Make a long story short Tell something briefly as part of a sentence

Miss the boat It's too late as part of a sentence

No pain, no gain You have to work for what you want by itself

On the ball Doing a good job as part of a sentence

Pull someone's leg To joke with someone as part of a sentence

Pull yourself together Calm down by itself

So far so good Things are going well so far by itself

Speak of the devil The person we were just talking about showed up! by itself

That's the last straw My patience has run out by itself

The best of both worlds An ideal situation as part of a sentence

Time flies when you're having fun You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun by itself

To get bent out of shape To get upset as part of a sentence

To make matters worse Make a problem worse as part of a sentence

Under the weather Sick as part of a sentence

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Let's not talk about that problem right now by itself

Wrap your head around something Understand something complicated as part of a sentence

You can say that again That's true, I agree by itself

Your guess is as good as mine I have no idea by itself

These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

Idiom	Meaning	Usage
A blessing in disguise	a good thing that seemed bad at first	as part of a sentence
A dime a dozen	Something common	as part of a sentence
Beat around the bush	Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable	as part of a sentence
Better late than never	Better to arrive late than not to come at all	by itself
Bite the bullet	To get something over with because it is inevitable	as part of a sentence
Break a leg	Good luck	by itself
Call it a day	Stop working on something	as part of a sentence
Cut somebody some slack	Don't be so critical	as part of a sentence
Cutting corners	Doing something poorly in order to save time or money	as part of a sentence
Easy does it	Slow down	by itself
Get out of hand	Get out of control	as part of a sentence
Get something out of your system	Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on	as part of a sentence
Get your act together	Work better or leave	by itself
Give someone the benefit of the doubt	Trust what someone says	as part of a sentence
Go back to the drawing board	Start over	as part of a sentence
Hang in there	Don't give up	by itself
Hit the sack	Go to sleep	as part of a sentence
It's not rocket science	It's not complicated	by itself
Let someone off the hook	To not hold someone responsible for something	as part of a sentence
Make a long story short	Tell something briefly	as part of a sentence
Miss the boat	It's too late	as part of a sentence
No pain, no gain	You have to work for what you want	by itself
On the ball	Doing a good job	as part of a sentence
Pull someone's leg	To joke with someone	as part of a sentence
Pull yourself together	Calm down	by itself
So far so good	Things are going well so far	by itself
Speak of the devil	The person we were just talking about showed up!	by itself
That's the last straw	My patience has run out	by itself
The best of both worlds	An ideal situation	as part of a sentence
Time flies when you're having fun	You don't notice how long something lasts when it's fun	by itself
To get bent out of shape	To get upset	as part of a sentence
To make matters worse	Make a problem worse	as part of a sentence
Under the weather	Sick	as part of a sentence
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it	Let's not talk about that problem right now	by itself
Wrap your head around something	Understand something complicated	as part of a sentence
You can say that again	That's true, I agree	by itself
Your guess is as good as mine	I have no idea	by itself