Idioms are fascinating expressions that add color and flair to everyday language. They help convey ideas and emotions in unique and creative ways, often beyond their literal meanings. Understanding and using idioms can not only make conversations more interesting but also improve communication skills. In this article, we will explore 45 popular idioms related to speaking, their meanings, and examples of how they can be used in everyday situations. These idioms will help you speak more confidently and express yourself with greater flair.
Idioms for Speaking
1. Speak of the devil
Meaning: Used when a person being talked about unexpectedly appears.
In a Sentence: We were just talking about Jane, and speak of the devil, she walks in!
Other Ways to Say: What a coincidence, Right on time
2. A slip of the tongue
Meaning: A mistake made while speaking, often unintentional.
In a Sentence: I meant to say ‘see you later,’ but I had a slip of the tongue and said ‘see you never.’
Other Ways to Say: A verbal mistake, A little blunder
3. A word in edgewise
Meaning: To have the opportunity to say something in a conversation that is dominated by others.
In a Sentence: I couldn’t get a word in edgewise during their heated debate.
Other Ways to Say: Find a chance to speak, Have a say
4. Speak your mind
Meaning: To express your thoughts openly and honestly.
In a Sentence: If you have something to say, just speak your mind and don’t hold back.
Other Ways to Say: Be honest, Say what you feel
5. Talk the talk
Meaning: To speak confidently, especially about something you know a lot about.
In a Sentence: He can talk the talk, but can he walk the walk?
Other Ways to Say: Be knowledgeable, Sound confident
6. Talk around in circles
Meaning: To avoid giving a straight answer by talking vaguely or confusingly.
In a Sentence: Stop talking around in circles and just tell me what happened!
Other Ways to Say: Avoid the point, Be vague
7. Put in a good word
Meaning: To recommend or speak favorably about someone.
In a Sentence: I’ll put in a good word for you when the boss is looking for a new assistant.
Other Ways to Say: Recommend, Give a positive reference
8. Talk is cheap
Meaning: Words are easy to say, but actions speak louder.
In a Sentence: He promised to help, but talk is cheap—let’s see if he actually does it.
Other Ways to Say: Actions speak louder than words, Words are easy
9. Get the word out
Meaning: To make information known to a lot of people.
In a Sentence: We need to get the word out about the event before the weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Spread the word, Inform everyone
10. On the tip of your tongue
Meaning: When you know something but can’t quite recall it.
In a Sentence: The answer is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can’t remember it.
Other Ways to Say: Almost remember, Can’t quite recall
11. Speak the same language
Meaning: To share the same ideas or be able to understand each other easily.
In a Sentence: It’s great when we speak the same language in a team meeting; things move much faster.
Other Ways to Say: Be on the same page, Understand each other
12. A picture is worth a thousand words
Meaning: Visual images can convey a complex idea more effectively than words.
In a Sentence: Don’t just explain it, show me the diagram. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Other Ways to Say: Visuals speak volumes, Seeing is believing
13. Say it loud and clear
Meaning: To speak in a way that is easy to understand.
In a Sentence: Could you say it loud and clear? I didn’t catch that last part.
Other Ways to Say: Speak clearly, Make yourself heard
14. Read between the lines
Meaning: To understand a deeper or hidden meaning in what someone says.
In a Sentence: You need to read between the lines to get what she’s really trying to say.
Other Ways to Say: Look for hidden meanings, Read the subtext
15. A hard pill to swallow
Meaning: Something that is difficult to accept or believe.
In a Sentence: Losing the match was a hard pill to swallow, but we’ll try again next time.
Other Ways to Say: Difficult to accept, Hard to deal with
16. Go on and on
Meaning: To talk for a long time, often without making a clear point.
In a Sentence: She went on and on about her vacation, but I just wanted a short summary.
Other Ways to Say: Ramble, Talk endlessly
17. Let someone off the hook
Meaning: To excuse someone from responsibility or a difficult situation.
In a Sentence: Don’t let him off the hook; he needs to take responsibility for what happened.
Other Ways to Say: Excuse, Release from responsibility
18. Bite your tongue
Meaning: To avoid saying something, especially when it could be rude or hurtful.
In a Sentence: I had to bite my tongue when she made that embarrassing comment.
Other Ways to Say: Hold back, Stay silent
19. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: To tell someone what you really think, often angrily.
In a Sentence: After what happened at the meeting, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind.
Other Ways to Say: Speak your mind, Let someone know how you feel
20. Hold your tongue
Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something.
In a Sentence: I had to hold my tongue when they criticized my work unfairly.
Other Ways to Say: Stay quiet, Keep silent
21. Put words in someone’s mouth
Meaning: To falsely say that someone said something.
In a Sentence: Don’t put words in my mouth—I never said that!
Other Ways to Say: Misrepresent, Twist someone’s words
22. Have the final say
Meaning: To have the last word or make the final decision.
In a Sentence: After a long discussion, the manager had the final say on the project.
Other Ways to Say: Make the final decision, Have the last word
23. Talk to a brick wall
Meaning: To talk to someone who is not listening or not responding.
In a Sentence: Trying to explain it to him was like talking to a brick wall—he wouldn’t listen.
Other Ways to Say: Be ignored, Talk in vain
24. Get something off your chest
Meaning: To talk about something that has been bothering you.
In a Sentence: I feel better now that I’ve gotten everything off my chest.
Other Ways to Say: Confess, Share your feelings
25. Don’t hold your breath
Meaning: To wait for something that is unlikely to happen.
In a Sentence: Don’t hold your breath waiting for him to apologize.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t expect it, Not going to happen
26. Talk shop
Meaning: To talk about work, especially in a way that others may not understand.
In a Sentence: We were at a party, but they started talking shop, and I couldn’t follow.
Other Ways to Say: Discuss work, Talk business
27. Get down to business
Meaning: To start focusing on the main topic or task.
In a Sentence: After some small talk, we finally got down to business and started the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Focus on the task, Begin the work
28. Keep it short and sweet
Meaning: To say something in a brief but effective way.
In a Sentence: Please keep it short and sweet—we don’t have much time for the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Be brief, Get to the point
29. Say something under your breath
Meaning: To speak very quietly, often to avoid being heard.
In a Sentence: He said something under his breath when the teacher called on him.
Other Ways to Say: Whisper, Mumble
30. Speak volumes
Meaning: To communicate a lot of information with just a few words or actions.
In a Sentence: His silence spoke volumes about how he felt about the situation.
Other Ways to Say: Say a lot, Convey a lot
31. Talk your way out of
Meaning: To avoid a difficult situation by speaking in a clever or convincing way.
In a Sentence: He talked his way out of trouble by apologizing and explaining himself.
Other Ways to Say: Talk your way into, Convince with words
32. Shoot the breeze
Meaning: To engage in casual or light conversation.
In a Sentence: We were just shooting the breeze when we ran into an old friend.
Other Ways to Say: Chat, Have a casual talk
33. Get a word in edgewise
Meaning: To manage to say something in a conversation that is dominated by others.
In a Sentence: I tried to get a word in edgewise, but they wouldn’t stop talking!
Other Ways to Say: Speak up, Find a chance to speak
34. Have a heart-to-heart
Meaning: To have an honest and open conversation.
In a Sentence: After the argument, we sat down for a heart-to-heart and cleared the air.
Other Ways to Say: Honest conversation, Deep talk
35. Talk down to someone
Meaning: To speak to someone as if they are less intelligent or important.
In a Sentence: Don’t talk down to me like that; I know what I’m doing!
Other Ways to Say: Patronize, Talk condescendingly
36. Speak for yourself
Meaning: To express your own opinion or position, not that of others.
In a Sentence: I’m happy with the decision, but speak for yourself if you disagree!
Other Ways to Say: State your own opinion, Express your personal view
37. Get your words mixed up
Meaning: To confuse your words while speaking.
In a Sentence: I got my words mixed up when explaining the directions, and it caused some confusion.
Other Ways to Say: Mumble, Mix up your speech
38. Let someone off the hook
Meaning: To excuse someone from blame or responsibility.
In a Sentence: She messed up, but I let her off the hook because it was an honest mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Excuse, Forgive
39. Twist someone’s words
Meaning: To change the meaning of what someone said, often in a misleading way.
In a Sentence: Don’t twist my words! That’s not what I meant at all.
Other Ways to Say: Misinterpret, Misquote
40. A word to the wise
Meaning: A piece of advice that is valuable or useful.
In a Sentence: A word to the wise: always double-check your work before submitting it.
Other Ways to Say: A tip, A suggestion
41. Have a bone to pick
Meaning: To have a grievance or issue to discuss with someone.
In a Sentence: I need to have a bone to pick with you about the way you handled that situation.
Other Ways to Say: Have an issue, Need to discuss something
42. Call it a day
Meaning: To stop working for the day or to conclude an activity.
In a Sentence: I’m exhausted; let’s call it a day and finish this tomorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Stop working, Wrap it up
43. Speak out of turn
Meaning: To say something inappropriate or speak when you shouldn’t.
In a Sentence: He spoke out of turn during the meeting and caused a lot of confusion.
Other Ways to Say: Interrupt, Say something wrong
44. Word of mouth
Meaning: Information that is passed through speaking, rather than written or advertised.
In a Sentence: Most of our business comes through word of mouth, and we have loyal customers.
Other Ways to Say: Referral, Oral communication
45. In so many words
Meaning: To say something directly and clearly, without using a lot of extra words.
In a Sentence: She told me, in so many words, that I wasn’t invited to the event.
Other Ways to Say: Directly, Plainly
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct idiom from the list:
- During our presentation, John couldn’t get a __________ because everyone else was talking over him.
- I was about to make a joke, but I had a __________ and said the wrong thing instead.
- It was such a coincidence! We were talking about Tim, and then, __________, he showed up at the party.
- If you’re feeling nervous, just __________ and say what’s on your mind.
- I tried to avoid answering the question, but I kept __________ in circles.
- Jane __________ and told everyone how much she loved the new movie.
- I can’t believe you spent so much on that shirt! It must have __________.
- He always says he’s going to start studying, but his talk is __________.
- We need to get the word out about the charity event quickly—let’s __________ to all our friends!
- I had that word on the __________ of my tongue, but I just couldn’t remember it.
- Even though we disagree on some things, I’m happy we __________ and understand each other.
- I can’t believe how long she went on and on about the same story. She was just __________.
- She promised me that she would __________ for my idea when the team voted.
- Don’t worry about making mistakes—you can __________ when you need to.
- I felt like I was __________ when I tried to ask for help, but no one was listening.
- After our heart-to-heart, we were able to work through the problem together. That’s what I call a __________.
- He loves to __________ and always talks as if he knows everything.
- I can’t believe she tried to __________ my words. That’s not what I meant at all!
- I need to talk to my boss, but I don’t want to __________. I just want to express my concerns clearly.
- After all the excitement, I think it’s time to __________ and finish up the day.
Answers:
- word in edgewise
- slip of the tongue
- speak of the devil
- speak your mind
- talking around in circles
- talked the talk
- cost an arm and a leg
- cheap
- get the word out
- tip
- speak the same language
- went on and on
- put in a good word
- keep your chin up
- talk to a brick wall
- heart-to-heart
- talk down to
- twist someone’s words
- speak for yourself
- call it a day
Conclusion
Idioms for speaking are not just a fun way to learn new expressions but also a great method for improving your communication. By incorporating these idioms into your conversations, you can express yourself in more vivid, colorful, and engaging ways. So, start using these idioms today and watch your communication skills soar!
These idiomatic expressions can help you convey your ideas with clarity, humor, and depth. Keep practicing them in everyday conversations, and soon, you’ll be a pro at using them in both casual chats and more formal discussions.
