Sometimes we hear people say something, but we don’t really understand what they mean. This happens to everyone. In English, there are special phrases called idioms that people use to talk about this. These idioms don’t always mean what the words sound like. That’s why they can be confusing.
In this article, you will learn idioms that people use when they don’t understand something. You’ll see what each one means and how it is used in real life. These idioms can help you better understand what others are saying, even when the words seem tricky at first.
Idioms for Not Understanding
1. Lost in the sauce
Meaning: Confused and not understanding what is happening.
Sample Sentences: I was lost in the sauce during the math lesson. / When everyone talked fast, she got lost in the sauce.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Didn’t get it
2. In over your head
Meaning: Trying to understand or do something too hard for you.
Sample Sentences: I was in over my head when the teacher explained fractions. / He was in over his head with all the new rules.
Other Way to Say: Too difficult / Not able to keep up
3. Out of your depth
Meaning: Feeling confused because something is too hard or new.
Sample Sentences: She felt out of her depth during the science test. / I was out of my depth with the new video game controls.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Not prepared
4. At sea
Meaning: Not understanding and feeling lost.
Sample Sentences: I was at sea when I tried to solve the puzzle. / He was at sea during the history lesson.
Other Way to Say: Lost / Confused
5. Can’t make heads or tails of it
Meaning: Not able to understand something at all.
Sample Sentences: I can’t make heads or tails of this homework. / She couldn’t make heads or tails of the instructions.
Other Way to Say: Don’t understand / Totally confused
6. Out to lunch
Meaning: Not paying attention or not understanding what is going on.
Sample Sentences: He was out to lunch during the group talk. / I felt out to lunch when everyone started talking about sports.
Other Way to Say: Daydreaming / Not focused
7. At a loss
Meaning: Not knowing what to do or say because you don’t understand.
Sample Sentences: I was at a loss when I saw the strange math problem. / She was at a loss during the quiz.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Unsure
8. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: Surprised and confused, not knowing what to do next.
Sample Sentences: I was like a deer in headlights when the teacher called on me. / He looked like a deer in headlights during the test.
Other Way to Say: Shocked and confused / Frozen
9. Doesn’t ring a bell
Meaning: You don’t remember or recognize something.
Sample Sentences: That name doesn’t ring a bell. / The answer doesn’t ring a bell to me.
Other Way to Say: Don’t recognize / Not familiar
10. In the dark
Meaning: Not knowing important information or understanding something.
Sample Sentences: I was in the dark about the homework. / He kept me in the dark about the rules.
Other Way to Say: Not informed / Confused
11. Out of the loop
Meaning: Not knowing what is happening or being talked about.
Sample Sentences: I felt out of the loop when they talked about the game. / She was out of the loop during the meeting.
Other Way to Say: Not included / Ignorant of the news
12. In a fog
Meaning: Confused and unable to think clearly.
Sample Sentences: I was in a fog after waking up late. / He was in a fog during the lesson.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Mixed up
13. All Greek to me
Meaning: Something that is completely confusing and hard to understand.
Sample Sentences: This science text is all Greek to me. / The directions were all Greek to me.
Other Way to Say: Confusing / Hard to understand
14. Off the mark
Meaning: Wrong or not understanding something correctly.
Sample Sentences: Your answer is off the mark. / I was off the mark about the story’s meaning.
Other Way to Say: Incorrect / Mistaken
15. Draw a blank
Meaning: Not able to remember or think of an answer.
Sample Sentences: I drew a blank during the spelling bee. / She drew a blank when asked about the capital.
Other Way to Say: Forgot / Can’t remember
16. In two minds
Meaning: Unsure or confused about what to think or do.
Sample Sentences: I was in two minds about which book to pick. / She is in two minds about joining the club.
Other Way to Say: Unsure / Torn
17. Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Meaning: Someone who has trouble understanding or is slow to get ideas.
Sample Sentences: He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he tries hard. / I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to math.
Other Way to Say: Slow learner / Not very smart
18. Miss the point
Meaning: Fail to understand the main idea or meaning.
Sample Sentences: You missed the point of the story. / I missed the point of the joke.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t get it / Didn’t understand
19. Mixed up
Meaning: Confused and not sure about something.
Sample Sentences: I got mixed up with all the new rules. / She was mixed up about the homework.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Messed up
20. Go over your head
Meaning: Too difficult to understand.
Sample Sentences: The teacher’s explanation went over my head. / The math problem went over his head.
Other Way to Say: Too hard to get / Confusing
21. Not get the hang of it
Meaning: Have trouble learning or understanding how to do something.
Sample Sentences: I can’t get the hang of this game. / She didn’t get the hang of riding a bike.
Other Way to Say: Not understand / Struggle with
22. In a muddle
Meaning: Confused and not organized in your thoughts.
Sample Sentences: I was in a muddle before the test. / He got in a muddle when answering questions.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Mixed up
23. Doesn’t compute
Meaning: Something doesn’t make sense or can’t be understood.
Sample Sentences: That explanation doesn’t compute for me. / Her story doesn’t compute at all.
Other Way to Say: Doesn’t make sense / Confusing
24. Off base
Meaning: Wrong or mistaken about something.
Sample Sentences: Your guess is off base. / He was off base about the rules.
Other Way to Say: Wrong / Mistaken
25. A tough nut to crack
Meaning: Something hard to understand or solve.
Sample Sentences: That math problem is a tough nut to crack. / The puzzle was a tough nut to crack.
Other Way to Say: Hard problem / Difficult to understand
26. Not make sense
Meaning: Something that is confusing or doesn’t seem right.
Sample Sentences: The instructions don’t make sense. / His story did not make sense to me.
Other Way to Say: Confusing / Hard to understand
27. Throw you for a loop
Meaning: Surprise or confuse someone.
Sample Sentences: That question threw me for a loop. / The test threw her for a loop.
Other Way to Say: Surprise / Confuse
28. In a spin
Meaning: Confused and dizzy with too much information.
Sample Sentences: I was in a spin trying to finish all my homework. / She was in a spin after hearing the news.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Overwhelmed
29. Baffled
Meaning: Very confused and not able to understand.
Sample Sentences: I was baffled by the tricky riddle. / He looked baffled when reading the instructions.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Puzzled
30. Stumped
Meaning: Unable to find an answer or solution.
Sample Sentences: I was stumped by the hard question. / She was stumped on the science quiz.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Can’t figure out
31. Out of sorts
Meaning: Feeling confused or not quite right.
Sample Sentences: I was out of sorts during the test. / He felt out of sorts after waking up late.
Other Way to Say: Not right / Confused
32. Not have a clue
Meaning: Not knowing or understanding anything about something.
Sample Sentences: I don’t have a clue how to solve this. / She didn’t have a clue about the answer.
Other Way to Say: Don’t know / No idea
33. Don’t get it
Meaning: Not understanding something.
Sample Sentences: I don’t get this math problem. / He didn’t get the joke at all.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Not understand
34. Brain freeze
Meaning: When your brain stops working for a moment because you are confused or overwhelmed.
Sample Sentences: I got brain freeze during the hard test. / She had a brain freeze in the spelling bee.
Other Way to Say: Mind went blank / Confused
35. Boggled mind
Meaning: Confused or overwhelmed by too much information.
Sample Sentences: My mind was boggled by the long story. / His mind was boggled after the lesson.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Overwhelmed
36. Didn’t catch that
Meaning: Didn’t hear or understand something.
Sample Sentences: Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Can you say it again? / She didn’t catch what the teacher said.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t hear / Didn’t understand
37. Lost track
Meaning: Forgot or stopped paying attention.
Sample Sentences: I lost track of the story. / He lost track during the game instructions.
Other Way to Say: Forgot / Didn’t follow
38. Fuzzy on the details
Meaning: Not clear about the facts or information.
Sample Sentences: I’m fuzzy on the details of the homework. / She’s fuzzy on what the rules were.
Other Way to Say: Not clear / Confused
39. Draw a blank
Meaning: Unable to remember or think of something.
Sample Sentences: I drew a blank when the teacher asked my name. / He drew a blank on the test.
Other Way to Say: Forgot / Can’t remember
40. Not follow
Meaning: Not understand what someone is saying.
Sample Sentences: I didn’t follow the instructions. / She didn’t follow the story.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Didn’t get it
41. Mind went blank
Meaning: Suddenly forget or lose thoughts because you are confused or nervous.
Sample Sentences: My mind went blank during the speech. / Her mind went blank on the test.
Other Way to Say: Forgot / Stopped thinking
42. Scratch your head
Meaning: To be confused and thinking hard about something.
Sample Sentences: I scratched my head trying to solve the puzzle. / She scratched her head when she didn’t understand the question.
Other Way to Say: Puzzled / Confused
43. Off your game
Meaning: Not doing well because you are confused or not focused.
Sample Sentences: I was off my game during the quiz. / He was off his game in the spelling contest.
Other Way to Say: Not focused / Confused
44. Not add up
Meaning: Doesn’t make sense or is confusing.
Sample Sentences: His story doesn’t add up. / The numbers don’t add up in the math problem.
Other Way to Say: Doesn’t make sense / Confusing
45. Lost in thought
Meaning: Thinking deeply and not paying attention to what’s happening.
Sample Sentences: I was lost in thought and missed the question. / She was lost in thought during class.
Other Way to Say: Daydreaming / Not focused
46. Out of your mind
Meaning: Confused or acting strangely.
Sample Sentences: You must be out of your mind to think that! / He was out of his mind during the test.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Acting strange
47. A head scratcher
Meaning: Something confusing or hard to understand.
Sample Sentences: That puzzle was a real head scratcher. / The question was a head scratcher for the class.
Other Way to Say: Confusing / Hard to understand
48. In a haze
Meaning: Confused and not clear in your mind.
Sample Sentences: I was in a haze after staying up late. / She was in a haze during the lecture.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Mixed up
49. Out of sync
Meaning: Not matching or understanding something correctly.
Sample Sentences: His answers were out of sync with the question. / We were out of sync during the group work.
Other Way to Say: Not in order / Confused
50. Gone over your head
Meaning: Too hard to understand.
Sample Sentences: The joke went over my head. / The science lesson went over her head.
Other Way to Say: Too hard / Confusing
51. At sixes and sevens
Meaning: Confused or in a state of disorder.
Sample Sentences: I was at sixes and sevens trying to finish my homework. / The team was at sixes and sevens before the game.
Other Way to Say: Mixed up / Confused
52. Brain fog
Meaning: Feeling confused or unable to think clearly.
Sample Sentences: I had brain fog during the long test. / She had brain fog after a bad night’s sleep.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Forgetful
53. Not make heads or tails of it
Meaning: Not understand anything about it.
Sample Sentences: I can’t make heads or tails of these directions. / He didn’t make heads or tails of the new rules.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Don’t get it
54. Out of your depth
Meaning: Trying something too hard and feeling confused.
Sample Sentences: I was out of my depth on the hard questions. / She was out of her depth in the advanced class.
Other Way to Say: Too hard / Confusing
55. At a loss for words
Meaning: Not knowing what to say because you are surprised or confused.
Sample Sentences: I was at a loss for words when I won the prize. / She was at a loss for words during the speech.
Other Way to Say: Speechless / Confused
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Not Understanding
1. What does the idiom “over my head” mean?
A. You are too tall
B. You don’t understand something
C. You are good at swimming
2. “She gave me a blank look when I asked about the homework.” What does “blank look” mean?
A. She was angry
B. She looked confused
C. She was laughing
3. If something “goes in one ear and out the other,” what happened?
A. You heard it and understood it
B. You remembered it all day
C. You heard it but didn’t understand or keep it
4. “I can’t make heads or tails of this book.” What does that mean?
A. The book is missing pages
B. You don’t understand the book
C. The book is too short
5. “That science talk went right over my head.” What is the speaker saying?
A. They didn’t pay attention
B. They didn’t understand it
C. It was about birds
6. If someone says “I’m in a fog,” what do they most likely mean?
A. They’re cold
B. They are confused or not thinking clearly
C. They are outside
7. “Sorry, you lost me there.” What is the person trying to say?
A. They don’t want to listen
B. They didn’t understand part of what was said
C. They are leaving the room
8. What does “out to lunch” mean in this sentence: “He was out to lunch during the lesson”?
A. He was eating food
B. He was gone for the day
C. He wasn’t paying attention or wasn’t thinking clearly
9. “That joke didn’t hit home with me.” What does this mean?
A. The joke wasn’t funny or wasn’t understood
B. The joke was loud
C. The joke was about their house
10. “My brain didn’t compute what she said.” What does “didn’t compute” mean here?
A. The person doesn’t use computers
B. The person didn’t understand what was said
C. The person typed too fast
11. “I’m out of the loop on this group project.” What is the speaker saying?
A. They want to go home
B. They feel cold
C. They don’t know what’s going on
12. “I’m not on the same page as the team.” What does that mean?
A. They’re reading a different book
B. They’re not thinking the same way or understanding each other
C. They are using different pencils
Answer Key
- B. You don’t understand something
- B. She looked confused
- C. You heard it but didn’t understand or keep it
- B. You don’t understand the book
- B. They didn’t understand it
- B. They are confused or not thinking clearly
- B. They didn’t understand part of what was said
- C. He wasn’t paying attention or wasn’t thinking clearly
- A. The joke wasn’t funny or wasn’t understood
- B. The person didn’t understand what was said
- C. They don’t know what’s going on
- B. They’re not thinking the same way or understanding each other
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
You really understand these phrases! - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
You’re doing great. Keep learning and practicing. - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
Review the idioms again to strengthen your understanding. - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together.
That’s okay this is just the start. You’ll get better with practice.
Conclusion
Understanding idioms can be tricky, especially when they don’t mean what the words sound like. In this article, you learned many common phrases people use when they don’t understand something. These idioms help explain confusion in a simple way.
Now that you’ve read the meanings and seen real-life examples, you’ll be able to recognize these phrases in conversations, books, or even movies. Keep practicing, and soon they’ll become easier to use and understand.
