55 Idioms for Adults

idioms for adults
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Adults use many special phrases in everyday life. These phrases, called idioms, don’t always mean exactly what the words say. For example, if someone says, “He’s burning the candle at both ends,” they don’t mean he has a real candle. It means he is working too hard or staying up late and getting tired. Learning idioms can help you understand adults better and make your own speaking more fun and clear.

In this article, you’ll read about idioms that grown-ups often use. These idioms show how adults feel, think, or act in different situations. You’ll see examples, learn what each idiom means, and get to test your knowledge at the end with a short quiz. Let’s explore how adults say things in clever ways without always saying exactly what they mean.

Idioms for Adults

1. Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: Feeling bad about something that already happened
Sample Sentences: I broke my phone, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk. /  She cried over spilled milk when she forgot her homework.
Other Way to Say: It’s already done / You can’t change it

2. Missed the boat

Meaning: Missed a chance
Sample Sentences: I missed the boat when I didn’t join the club in time. / He missed the boat for the school trip.
Other Way to Say: Lost my chance / Too late now

3. Let the chance slip through your fingers

Meaning: Let a good chance go
Sample Sentences: She let the chance slip through her fingers when she didn’t speak up. / I didn’t try out, and the chance slipped through my fingers.
Other Way to Say: Missed out / Let it pass

4. Eat your words

Meaning: Regret what you said
Sample Sentences: He had to eat his words after calling the movie boring. / I ate my words when I said I wouldn’t like the trip.
Other Way to Say: Take it back / Regret saying it

5. Live to regret it

Meaning: Feel sorry later
Sample Sentences: If you cheat, you’ll live to regret it. / She lived to regret not studying.
Other Way to Say: Sorry later / Wish I did it differently

6. Kick yourself

Meaning: Feel upset about your own mistake
Sample Sentences: I kicked myself for forgetting the test. / He kicked himself after being late again.
Other Way to Say: Mad at myself / Blamed myself

7. A hard pill to swallow

Meaning: Something sad to accept
Sample Sentences: Losing the game was a hard pill to swallow. / Not making the team was hard to take.
Other Way to Say: Tough to hear / Sad news

8. Face the music

Meaning: Deal with your mistake
Sample Sentences: He had to face the music after lying. / I faced the music when I didn’t do my part.
Other Way to Say: Own up to it / Handle the result

9. A day late and a dollar short

Meaning: Too late and not ready
Sample Sentences: I was a day late and a dollar short for the contest. / She forgot and missed the signup.
Other Way to Say: Missed the time / Too late

10. Bit off more than you can chew

Meaning: Took on too much
Sample Sentences: I bit off more than I could chew joining three clubs. / He took on too much homework at once.
Other Way to Say: Overloaded myself / Took too much

11. Shouldn’t have opened my mouth

Meaning: Regret saying something
Sample Sentences: I shouldn’t have opened my mouth about the surprise. / He felt bad for opening his mouth during the game.
Other Way to Say: Should’ve kept quiet / Stayed silent

12. Shot yourself in the foot

Meaning: Made it worse for yourself
Sample Sentences: I shot myself in the foot by skipping practice. / She did it when she argued with the coach.
Other Way to Say: Hurt my own chances / Made it harder

13. Burned your bridges

Meaning: Ruined a chance to go back
Sample Sentences: He burned his bridges with the teacher. / I did it when I quit the group without telling anyone.
Other Way to Say: Closed the door / Can’t go back

14. Dug your own grave

Meaning: Caused your own trouble
Sample Sentences: I dug my own grave by lying. / She didn’t study and dug her own grave.
Other Way to Say: Made my own mess / Brought it on myself

See also  55 Idioms for God

15. Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: Told a secret
Sample Sentences: I let the cat out of the bag about the gift. / He did it by accident during lunch.
Other Way to Say: Spilled the secret / Gave it away

16. Opened a can of worms

Meaning: Created more problems
Sample Sentences: I opened a can of worms by asking too much. / She did it by telling a lie.
Other Way to Say: Made it worse / Started a mess

17. Put your foot in your mouth

Meaning: Said something wrong or hurtful
Sample Sentences: I put my foot in my mouth when I joked too soon. / He did it in class and felt bad.
Other Way to Say: Said the wrong thing / Embarrassed myself

18. Blew it

Meaning: Messed up a chance
Sample Sentences: I blew it when I forgot my part. / She blew it by being late to the meeting.
Other Way to Say: Lost the chance / Ruined it

19. Second thoughts

Meaning: Regret or doubt
Sample Sentences: I had second thoughts about quitting the team.  He had second thoughts about saying no.
Other Way to Say: Changed my mind / Unsure now

20. Not what I signed up for

Meaning: Didn’t expect it to be this way
Sample Sentences: Cleaning up everything was not what I signed up for. / This hard job was not what I wanted.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t expect this / Thought it’d be easier

21. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed

Meaning: Started the day in a bad mood
Sample Sentences: I yelled and felt like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. / She was cranky all day.
Other Way to Say: In a bad mood / Not myself

22. Made your bed, now lie in it

Meaning: You caused the problem, deal with it
Sample Sentences: I forgot to study I made my bed, now I lie in it. / He left his lunch again, now he has to deal with it.
Other Way to Say: Face the result / Own your action

23. Hung out to dry

Meaning: Left alone to take the blame
Sample Sentences: My group blamed me I was hung out to dry. / She felt alone when no one helped her.
Other Way to Say: Left on my own / No support

24. Biting the hand that feeds you

Meaning: Hurt someone who helps you
Sample Sentences: He was rude to his coach biting the hand that feeds him. / I did it by yelling at my mom after she helped me.
Other Way to Say: Hurt a helper / Treated someone badly

25. Felt the sting

Meaning: Felt hurt or regret
Sample Sentences: I felt the sting when I got my grade. / He felt it after hearing the truth.
Other Way to Say: That hurt / Felt bad

26. Like salt in the wound

Meaning: Made it worse
Sample Sentences: Messing up was bad, and the teasing was salt in the wound. / She lost the game and got scolded.
Other Way to Say: Added pain / Made it harder

27. Beat yourself up

Meaning: Keep blaming yourself
Sample Sentences: I beat myself up for missing the word. / She beat herself up after falling.
Other Way to Say: Too hard on myself / Kept blaming

28. A case of the “what ifs”

Meaning: Wondering what could’ve happened
Sample Sentences: I had a case of the what ifs after skipping the party. / He kept thinking, “What if I tried?”
Other Way to Say: Wondering / Doubting choice

29. Could kick yourself

Meaning: Feel strong regret
Sample Sentences: I could kick myself for not saving the file. / She missed the bus and could kick herself.
Other Way to Say: Really upset at myself / Mad I messed up

30. Out of line

Meaning: Acted badly
Sample Sentences: He was out of line for yelling. / I was out of line during lunch and felt bad.
Other Way to Say: Went too far / Acted wrong

31. Spoke too soon

Meaning: Said something before knowing all
Sample Sentences: I said the game was boring I spoke too soon. / He did it about the quiz.
Other Way to Say: Judged too fast / Spoke early

32. Made a mess of it

Meaning: Did something poorly
Sample Sentences: I made a mess of my drawing. / She made a mess of her speech.
Other Way to Say: Messed up / Did it badly

See also  55 Idioms for Going Crazy

33. Not your proudest moment

Meaning: You feel bad about something you did
Sample Sentences: Skipping class was not my proudest moment. / He said sorry after yelling.
Other Way to Say: I messed up / Bad choice

34. Thought twice

Meaning: Rethink or regret
Sample Sentences: I should’ve thought twice before quitting. / He thought twice after seeing his friend upset.
Other Way to Say: Regretted it / Changed my mind

35. Said too much

Meaning: Shared more than you should have
Sample Sentences: I said too much and made her upset. / He talked too much at lunch and felt bad.
Other Way to Say: Overshared / Talked too much

36. Rethinking everything

Meaning: Looking back and feeling unsure
Sample Sentences: I’m rethinking everything after that bad grade. / He did it after the argument with his friend.
Other Way to Say: Going over it again / Feeling unsure

37. Out of character

Meaning: Acted differently than usual
Sample Sentences: That was out of character I don’t usually yell. / She acted out of character and said sorry.
Other Way to Say: Not like me / A mistake

38. Ran out of time

Meaning: Didn’t finish in time
Sample Sentences: I ran out of time during the test. / He couldn’t finish the model because he ran out of time.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t finish / Needed more time

39. Not thinking straight

Meaning: Made a bad choice because of stress
Sample Sentences: I wasn’t thinking straight when I lied. / She yelled because she wasn’t thinking straight.
Other Way to Say: Confused / Not thinking clearly

40. Didn’t mean to

Meaning: Regret something done by accident
Sample Sentences: I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. / He didn’t mean to break the toy.
Other Way to Say: It was a mistake / I’m sorry

41. Backfired

Meaning: Something went wrong
Sample Sentences: My plan backfired and upset my friend. / Her joke backfired in class.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t work out / Turned out badly

42. Got carried away

Meaning: Went too far
Sample Sentences: I got carried away teasing my brother. / She broke a rule because she got carried away.
Other Way to Say: Went overboard / Took it too far

43. Fell flat

Meaning: Didn’t work and caused regret
Sample Sentences: My idea for the party fell flat. / The joke fell flat and no one laughed.
Other Way to Say: Failed / Didn’t work

44. The damage is done

Meaning: It’s too late to fix it
Sample Sentences: I said something mean the damage is done. / He knocked over the vase. The damage is done.
Other Way to Say: Can’t change it now / It already happened

45. In hot water

Meaning: In trouble
Sample Sentences: I was in hot water for missing homework. / She got in hot water after lying.
Other Way to Say: In trouble / In a tough spot

46. On thin ice

Meaning: Close to getting in more trouble
Sample Sentences: He’s on thin ice after being late again. / I’m on thin ice after skipping class.
Other Way to Say: One more mistake and I’m in trouble / In risk

47. Left with nothing

Meaning: Tried something and lost everything
Sample Sentences: I spent all my points and was left with nothing. / He traded his cards and got nothing good back.
Other Way to Say: Lost it all / Got a bad deal

48. Felt small

Meaning: Felt embarrassed or ashamed
Sample Sentences: I felt small after yelling. / He felt small when the teacher corrected him.
Other Way to Say: Ashamed / Embarrassed

49. Went too far

Meaning: Did more than you should have
Sample Sentences: My joke went too far and hurt someone. / He went too far with his prank.
Other Way to Say: Crossed the line / Shouldn’t have done it

50. Thought I knew better

Meaning: Regret being too confident
Sample Sentences: I thought I knew better and didn’t study. / She didn’t listen because she thought she knew better.
Other Way to Say: Was too sure / Didn’t take advice

51. Hindsight is 20/20

Meaning: Easy to see what you should’ve done later
Sample Sentences: I didn’t study hindsight is 20/20. / She made the wrong choice hindsight is 20/20.
Other Way to Say: I see it clearly now / I learned after

See also  55 Idioms for Keep Going

52. Felt the weight

Meaning: Felt guilt or pressure
Sample Sentences: I felt the weight of letting my team down. / He felt the weight after losing the game.
Other Way to Say: Felt guilty / Heavy inside

53. Took the fall

Meaning: Got the blame
Sample Sentences: I took the fall for the mess. / She took the fall when the team got in trouble.
Other Way to Say: Got blamed / Paid the price

54. Blurted it out

Meaning: Said something too fast
Sample Sentences: I blurted it out without thinking. / He blurted out the answer and it was wrong.
Other Way to Say: Spoke too fast / Said it without thinking

55. Regret it deeply

Meaning: Feel really sorry
Sample Sentences: I regret it deeply that I didn’t speak up. / She regrets it deeply that she missed the game.
Other Way to Say: Very sorry / Wish it didn’t happen

Multiple Choice Quiz: “Idioms for Adults”

1. What does “burning the candle at both ends” mean?

A) Lighting candles at a party
B) Staying up late and working too much
C) Turning off the lights early

2. If someone is “in hot water,” what is happening?

A) They are taking a bath
B) They are in trouble
C) They are making soup

3. What does it mean to “bite the bullet”?

A) Eat something hard
B) Say something funny
C) Do something hard, even if you don’t want to

4. “Let the cat out of the bag” means:

A) Tell a secret
B) Chase a cat
C) Buy a new pet

5. When someone says “on the same page,” they mean:

A) Reading the same book
B) Sitting next to each other
C) Understanding or agreeing on something

6. If someone says “the last straw,” they mean:

A) The last drink in a cup
B) The final small problem that makes someone upset
C) A straw that is too long

7. What does it mean to “call it a day”?

A) Say the day’s name
B) Go to sleep early
C) Stop working or doing something for now

8. If something is “a piece of cake,” it is:

A) Sweet and yummy
B) Hard to carry
C) Very easy

9. When someone “gets cold feet,” they:

A) Need socks
B) Feel scared and change their mind
C) Step in water

10. “Cutting corners” means:

A) Walking in a circle
B) Making something faster by skipping steps
C) Using scissors the wrong way

11. “Fish out of water” describes someone who feels:

A) Wet
B) Lost or out of place
C) Hungry

12. If you “add fuel to the fire,” you:

A) Help someone cook
B) Make a bad situation worse
C) Start a campfire

Answer Key

  1. B. It means you are doing too much and getting tired.
  2. B. “In hot water” means being in trouble.
  3. C. “Bite the bullet” means to do something tough.
  4. A. Telling a secret is “letting the cat out of the bag.”
  5. C. Being “on the same page” means you agree or understand each other.
  6. B. “The last straw” is the final small thing that upsets someone.
  7. C. “Call it a day” means to stop working.
  8. C. A “piece of cake” means something is very easy.
  9. B. “Getting cold feet” means you feel nervous and back out.
  10. B. “Cutting corners” means skipping steps to do something faster.
  11. B. A “fish out of water” feels out of place or awkward.
  12. B. “Add fuel to the fire” means making something worse.

Scoring Guide

  • 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
  • 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
  • 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
  • 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the meaning of idioms together.

Conclusion

Adults use many idioms to express how they feel or what they’re thinking. These phrases may sound strange at first, but they often have simple meanings. When you learn idioms, you can understand people better and speak in more interesting ways.

Now that you’ve read about these idioms and tried the quiz, you’ve taken a good step forward. Keep listening for these phrases in real life. The more you hear them, the easier they’ll become to understand and use.

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