Idioms are like secret codes in the English language. They may not always mean what the words say, but they help us describe things in fun and clever ways. When we want to talk about something big—like big ideas, big emotions, or big changes—idioms can make what we say more powerful and interesting.
These “big” idioms are perfect for describing huge events, loud reactions, or even major accomplishments. Whether you’re writing a story, giving a speech, or chatting with friends, knowing these expressions can help you sound more fluent and creative. In this post, you’ll learn 44 idioms that all relate to something “big”—plus their meanings, how to use them in sentences, and other simple ways to say them.
Let’s explore the giant world of big idioms together!
Idioms for Big
1. A big fish in a small pond
Meaning: Someone who is important or powerful in a small group or area.
In a Sentence: At our small school, she’s a big fish in a small pond.
Other Ways to Say: The top person, The star
2. A whale of a time
Meaning: Having a great and fun time.
In a Sentence: We had a whale of a time at the amusement park.
Other Ways to Say: Had a blast, So much fun
3. Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: To make a small issue seem much bigger than it is.
In a Sentence: He made a mountain out of a molehill when he saw a small scratch on his car.
Other Ways to Say: Overreact, Blow it up
4. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on more than you can handle.
In a Sentence: I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to plan two parties in one week.
Other Ways to Say: Take on too much, Overdo it
5. Shoot for the moon
Meaning: To aim for something very big or ambitious.
In a Sentence: She’s shooting for the moon with her goal to become a famous artist.
Other Ways to Say: Dream big, Aim high
6. Blow things out of proportion
Meaning: To make a situation seem bigger or more serious than it really is.
In a Sentence: The media blew the story out of proportion.
Other Ways to Say: Exaggerate, Overstate
7. Break the bank
Meaning: To cost a lot of money.
In a Sentence: That designer bag will break the bank!
Other Ways to Say: Be very expensive, Cost a fortune
8. Go big or go home
Meaning: Give your best effort or don’t try at all.
In a Sentence: He wore a gold suit to prom—he really went big or went home!
Other Ways to Say: All or nothing, Go all out
9. A tall order
Meaning: Something difficult to achieve.
In a Sentence: Finishing this project by tonight is a tall order.
Other Ways to Say: Hard to do, A big challenge
10. A massive hit
Meaning: Something extremely successful.
In a Sentence: That new song is a massive hit on the charts.
Other Ways to Say: A big success, A major win
11. Big shoes to fill
Meaning: To take over a role that was done very well by someone else.
In a Sentence: She has big shoes to fill after the last team captain graduated.
Other Ways to Say: A tough act to follow, High expectations
12. Elephant in the room
Meaning: A big and obvious problem that no one wants to talk about.
In a Sentence: No one mentioned the budget cuts—it was the elephant in the room.
Other Ways to Say: Unspoken issue, Awkward truth
13. In a big way
Meaning: On a large scale or with a lot of impact.
In a Sentence: She helped the community in a big way.
Other Ways to Say: Significantly, Majorly
14. Hit it big
Meaning: To become very successful.
In a Sentence: He hit it big after launching his new app.
Other Ways to Say: Strike gold, Make it big
15. The big picture
Meaning: The overall or most important view of a situation.
In a Sentence: Don’t focus on the small issues—look at the big picture.
Other Ways to Say: The main idea, The whole story
16. A big deal
Meaning: Something important or special.
In a Sentence: Winning the spelling bee was a big deal for him.
Other Ways to Say: Very important, Major event
17. Bigwig
Meaning: A person of importance or authority.
In a Sentence: The bigwigs from head office came to visit today.
Other Ways to Say: VIP, Important person
18. Big mouth
Meaning: Someone who talks too much or shares secrets.
In a Sentence: Don’t tell him—he’s got a big mouth!
Other Ways to Say: Blabbermouth, Can’t keep secrets
19. A big ask
Meaning: A difficult or unreasonable request.
In a Sentence: Asking him to finish all the work alone is a big ask.
Other Ways to Say: Tough request, Too much to ask
20. A roaring success
Meaning: Something that turns out very well.
In a Sentence: The school play was a roaring success!
Other Ways to Say: Huge hit, Great achievement
21. Larger than life
Meaning: Very impressive, exciting, or exaggerated in personality.
In a Sentence: Her energy was larger than life—everyone noticed her when she walked in.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely charismatic, Unforgettable
22. Big-time
Meaning: Very successful or important.
In a Sentence: He’s gone big-time with his new clothing brand.
Other Ways to Say: Top level, Huge success
23. Make a big splash
Meaning: To attract a lot of attention.
In a Sentence: She made a big splash at the talent show with her dance routine.
Other Ways to Say: Stand out, Get noticed
24. Big break
Meaning: A major opportunity for success.
In a Sentence: Landing that role in the movie was her big break.
Other Ways to Say: Lucky chance, Big opportunity
25. Blow up
Meaning: To become suddenly famous or popular.
In a Sentence: His video blew up on social media overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Go viral, Gain fame quickly
26. Big heart
Meaning: Being very kind and generous.
In a Sentence: He has a big heart and always helps others.
Other Ways to Say: Kind soul, Generous person
27. Big-league
Meaning: Belonging to the highest level of importance or competition.
In a Sentence: She’s playing in the big leagues now with her new job.
Other Ways to Say: Top-tier, Major level
28. Live large
Meaning: To live in a grand or luxurious way.
In a Sentence: They live large in their beach house.
Other Ways to Say: Live luxuriously, Go all out
29. Big hit
Meaning: Something that is very successful or well-liked.
In a Sentence: That new snack was a big hit at the party.
Other Ways to Say: Crowd favorite, Major success
30. In a big bind
Meaning: In serious trouble or a difficult situation.
In a Sentence: I’m in a big bind—I forgot my project at home!
Other Ways to Say: In trouble, In a tight spot
31. Think big
Meaning: To aim high or have grand ideas.
In a Sentence: If you want to succeed, you have to think big.
Other Ways to Say: Dream large, Set bold goals
32. Big bucks
Meaning: A lot of money.
In a Sentence: He makes big bucks working in tech.
Other Ways to Say: Tons of money, High income
33. Big cheese
Meaning: An important or powerful person.
In a Sentence: He acts like the big cheese around here.
Other Ways to Say: Top dog, Boss
34. Go down in a big way
Meaning: To become very popular or successful.
In a Sentence: Their project went down in a big way at the science fair.
Other Ways to Say: Get noticed, Be a hit
35. Big dreams
Meaning: Ambitious goals or hopes.
In a Sentence: She has big dreams of becoming a doctor.
Other Ways to Say: High hopes, Big plans
36. Big idea
Meaning: A creative or important thought.
In a Sentence: His big idea was to build a community garden.
Other Ways to Say: Smart plan, Clever concept
37. Go big
Meaning: To choose the most impressive or ambitious option.
In a Sentence: For my birthday cake, I decided to go big with triple chocolate layers.
Other Ways to Say: Go all out, Be bold
38. Big noise
Meaning: A person who is important or influential.
In a Sentence: He became a big noise in the music industry.
Other Ways to Say: Key figure, Big name
39. A big haul
Meaning: A large amount of something collected.
In a Sentence: After Halloween, we had a big haul of candy.
Other Ways to Say: Lots of stuff, Huge collection
40. Big win
Meaning: A major success or victory.
In a Sentence: Getting that scholarship was a big win for her.
Other Ways to Say: Major victory, Huge achievement
41. Big moment
Meaning: An important or memorable time.
In a Sentence: Graduation day was a big moment for everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Special event, Major milestone
42. Big impact
Meaning: A strong effect or influence.
In a Sentence: Her speech made a big impact on the audience.
Other Ways to Say: Powerful effect, Strong influence
43. A big no-no
Meaning: Something that is not allowed or is a bad idea.
In a Sentence: Cheating on a test is a big no-no.
Other Ways to Say: Forbidden action, Bad move
44. Bigger fish to fry
Meaning: More important things to deal with.
In a Sentence: I can’t worry about that now—I’ve got bigger fish to fry.
Other Ways to Say: More urgent matters, Bigger priorities
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- She’s a big fish in a small _________.
- That movie was a roaring _________ at the box office.
- He always thinks _________ and never settles for less.
- I made a big _________ at the thrift store—look at all these clothes!
- Becoming class president was a big _________ for me.
- I had to step up and fill some big ________ after she moved away.
- He blew things out of _________ when he heard the news.
- Their team is in a big _________ after losing their best player.
- That science idea made a huge _________ at the school fair.
- She’s got a big _________ and always volunteers to help.
Answers:
pond, success, big, haul, win, shoes, proportion, bind, splash, heart
Conclusion
Idioms are a great way to make your speech more fun, creative, and expressive. When it comes to describing things that are “big”—from feelings to events—these phrases help paint a vivid picture in just a few words. By learning and using these idioms, you can boost your communication skills and sound more confident in conversations, writing, and even storytelling.
So the next time you want to talk about something big, try adding one of these idioms to your sentence. It might just make a big difference. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon be using these phrases like a pro!
