If you work in English, you’ve probably experienced this: you’re in a meeting, someone uses an idiom, everyone nods, and by the time you understand what it means, the conversation has already moved on.
That moment of hesitation is what makes business idioms frustrating. It’s not about knowing English well enough. It’s about understanding meaning fast enough.
This article covers 30 of the most common business English idioms you’ll hear at work and shows you how to move beyond memorizing definitions so you can understand idioms confidently when they come up in real conversations.
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Why Business Idioms Are hard, Even For Fluent Speakers
Business idioms rarely cause problems because they’re complex. They cause problems because they’re indirect. The words don’t mean what they literally say, and you’re expected to interpret them instantly, often in meetings or informal discussions.
Most professionals don’t struggle because they don’t know the idioms. They struggle because they recognize them too late, or aren’t sure whether an expression is literal, joking, or serious.
That’s why lists help, but only to a point.
If you recognize these idioms but still hesitate when you hear them at work, start free idiom lessons on the Talaera platform and see how these expressions are used in real workplace situations. Start free idiom lessons on the Talaera platform and see how these expressions are used in real workplace situations. Free account required. Selected lessons included.
What Is An Idiom?
An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the individual words. You can often understand every word and still miss the point.
Idioms matter at work because they’re used as shortcuts to signal agreement, disagreement, urgency, or uncertainty without spelling everything out.
- Fixed order: these expressions don’t leave much room for variability. For example, the idiom to throw in the towel (to give up), doesn’t work if you say to throw the towel* or to throw in the napkin.
- Particular meaning: knowing all the different words in an idiom doesn’t guarantee that you will know the meaning. If we take the same previous example, to throw in the towel, doesn’t necessarily mean that there was a towel that you threw in.
How Will Idioms Help You Feel More Confident?
Most idioms you hear at work aren’t technical or industry-specific, and knowing them doesn’t determine how good you are at your job. Still, because idioms come up constantly in meetings, emails, and informal conversations, not understanding them can quietly undermine your confidence.
Idioms build confidence by improving real-time comprehension. Fluent speakers use them naturally, often without noticing. When you understand idioms immediately, you can follow conversations without mentally translating or falling behind.
Idioms are also learned in context, not as isolated words. Over time, this gives you familiar language patterns you can recognize and use naturally. Because every language relies on figurative expressions, learning their English equivalents helps you communicate with more nuance, even in sensitive or high-stakes situations.
30 Business English Idioms You Need For Work
Below are some of the most common idioms you’ll hear in meetings, emails, and informal workplace conversations. Focus less on memorizing them, and more on recognizing what they usually signal in context.
1) Learn the ropes 🪢
Great idiom for when you’re starting a new job or learning a new skill. If you are going to sail, you will need to learn how to tie knots and manipulate the ropes that move the sails in the best way possible. That is the origin of our third idiom!
Meaning: Learn how to do things or learn how things work.
Examples:
- As a professional, you need to constantly learn the ropes to do really well in your career.
- He still needs to learn the ropes, but he has great potential.
Keep reading: 8 Top English Idioms for Successful First Steps! [Podcast]
2) That won’t cut it ✂️
So, the question you might have is “Cut what?” Imagine a pair of scissors trying to cut through steel. It’s not enough. It won’t work. Whatever method you are using to solve your problem is simply insufficient.
Meaning: That will not be enough to do a task or cope with a situation.
Examples:
- You can cram for the test, but that probably won’t cut it. You will need to study every day for several days in order to really understand the material.
- They seem really upset. A simple apology won’t cut it.
3) The ball is in your court🎾
From the world of ships we go now to the world of sports. Whether it comes from tennis or from basketball, the idea is clear: it’s your turn to make a move.
Meaning: It’s your turn to make a decision or do something.
Examples:
- I’ve done what I can. Now the ball is in your court.
- Everybody in this company will support you if you decide to move to another country but the ball is in your court if you decide to change your mind at the last minute.
- I’ve already told you that Talaera is a super cool option to learn English, but now the ball is in your court.
4) Behind the scenes 🎭
The equator of our list takes us to the theatre. Behind the scenes was originally used to talk about those events in a play that happen off stage, where the audience cannot see.
Meaning: Done privately or secretly, rather than publicly.
Examples:
- There is a lot of negotiation going on behind the scenes.
- I can tell there is a lot of work behind the scenes.
- If you want to check out what happens behind the scenes at Talaera, visit our LinkedIn page.
5) On the same page 📄
It seems that the origin of this idiom is attributed to choral singing, when all singers had to be on the same page to be able to sing all together the same song.
Meaning: Understand each other and agree.
Examples:
- Before we begin the discussion, I want to make sure that we are all on the same page.
- I have a great connection with my manager, I always feel we are on the same page.
6) Sleep on it 😴
Meaning: Delay making a decision on something until the following day.
Example:
- Let me sleep on it and give you an answer tomorrow.
Keep reading: 10 Helpful Decision Making Phrases [Podcast]
7) Call it a day👋🏼
Meaning: Decide to stop working or doing an activity.
Examples:
- I think we should call it a day and go home.
- We have been working on this all day, why don’t we call it a day?
8) In a nutshell 🥜
How much can you fit inside a nutshell? Not much. Shakespeare’s Hamlet uses it to mean something compact when he says ‘I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams’.
Meaning: In summary, in a few words.
Examples:
- She put the matter in a nutshell.
- Our traffic is rising, customers are happy, and our revenue is still growing; in a nutshell, our business is a success.
Keep reading: Delicious Food Idioms You’ll Hear At Work
9) It’s a long shot ⛹
Unless you’re Michael Jordan, long shots tend to have a small chance of succeeding. This is basically the idea of this idiom. It is often followed by “but”, as we use it to indicate that despite the odds, we will try anyways.
Meaning: An attempt or guess with very small chance of succeeding or being accurate.
Examples:
- I know it’s a long shot, because there are many candidates, but I’m going to apply for the manager’s job.
- It’s a long shot, but well worth trying.
10) To touch base ⚾
I bet you guessed, but just in case, this phrase refers to the rule that a runner in baseball must touch the base on which he/she is standing before running to the next base. In business, before taking an important action, you often “touch base” to get approval or make sure that it is a good idea.
Meaning: Briefly make or renew contact with someone. To update someone or have a quick conversation with them.
Examples:
- I just wanted to touch base and make sure you hadn’t changed your mind about seeing me.
- I just wanted to quickly touch base with you: did you get an email from my secretary about the meeting?
11) Kill two birds with one stone 🦜🦜
Meaning: Solve two problems with one action or solution. Example:
- I might as well kill two birds with one stone and drop off my tax forms while I’m at the mall for the computer part I need.
Keep reading: 12 Perfect Success Idioms To Show Off At Work
12) Let’s table it 🙊
Meaning: Postpone a discussion or activity until later. Usually used near the end of a meeting when a conversation is dragging and everyone just wants to go home. Example:
- You’ve all raised some good points. Let’s table this until next week’s meeting.
13) In the same boat 🚤
Meaning: To be in the same bad or difficult situation.
Examples:
- You filed the wrong paperwork, too? We’re in the same boat!
- How are you feeling? I heard it’s been tough for you, too. We’re in the same boat.
14) In the bag💰
Meaning: Certain or sure to be won, achieved, or obtained.
Examples:
- The election is in the bag.
- The negotiations are looking great, but the deal is not in the bag yet.
Keep reading: 30 Must-Know Idioms About Negotiations & Agreements
15) Move the needle 🪡
Meaning: To make a difference; to have a noticeable impact on something.
Examples:
- They hired her to increase sales, but her strategies failed to move the needle.
- We need to move the needle on global poverty.
16) Lots of moving parts ⚙️🔩
Meaning: A complicated situation with a lot of variables or components. Usually used when it would take too long to explain something in detail.
Example:
- We’ve looked at some venues and talked to sponsors and next week we’re going to start working on the marketing for the event. There are lots of moving parts, but luckily we have a great team.
17) Get your ducks in a row 🦆🦆
There are a couple of theories regarding the origin of this idiom. The most obvious (and adorable) one is the way mother ducks organize their ducklings to walk in straight lines while travelling.
Meaning: Getting yourself organized before doing something.
Examples:
- Once we get our ducks in a row — do an appraisal, talk to the lawyers — it should be easy to sell the property.
- I still need to get my ducks in a row, but I’m feeling quite optimistic about this new project.
18) Put out fires🔥
Meaning: To deal with emergencies rather than ordinary day-to-day tasks.
Example:
- I spent too much time putting out fires today with our servers that I didn’t even have a chance to send my new proposal.
Keep reading: Your New 6 Idioms About Problems [Podcast]
19) Cut corners ✂️
Meaning: To skip small but important steps.
Examples:
- John’s team is making a lot of mistakes and it’s because they’re always cutting corners.
- Whilst others may cut corners on small details, we insist on quality items.
20) On a shoestring 👟
Meaning: With very little money, with a small budget.
Examples:
- When I was younger, I traveled to Thailand on a shoestring.
- Surprisingly enough, the project was a success, even though we put it together on a shoestring.
Keep reading: Top Money Idioms You Need… At All Costs
21) Cut to the chase🏃🏽🚓
Meaning: Get to the point, stop wasting time with chit chat.
Example:
- I have to be somewhere in twenty minutes, so can you just cut to the chase?
- I know everyone is super busy today, so shall we cut to the chase?
22) Bend over backwards 🤸🏼♂️
Meaning: Go through a lot of trouble or discomfort to help someone out.
Examples:
- She’s the kindest leader of all –you can see how she truly bends over backwards to keep everyone happy.
- I bent over backwards to get her that job, and she is not even trying.
23) A win-win situation 🏆🏆
Meaning: A situation where every outcome is a good outcome.
Example:
- It will be a win-win situation for both foreign policy and the internal market.
- Offering English training is a win-win situation -employees will gain confidence and the organization will get a high ROI.
24) Cool as a cucumber 🥒
Did you know that the inside of a cucumber is about 20 degrees cooler than the outside air? Well, this might be the origin of this idiom.
Meaning: Extremely calm, relaxed, and in control of your emotions.
Examples:
- She was cool as a cucumber before the interview because she was well prepared.
- It was a very important meeting, but I stayed cool as a cucumber because I knew our product was the best.
25) Go back to the drawing board 🎨🖌️
Meaning: Start over and go back to the beginning or the planning stage.
Example:
- They should go back to the drawing board and review the whole issue of employee training.
Keep reading: Problems at Work? Learn These 18 Idioms About Challenges
26) Hot potato 🥔
Often avoided in meetings.
Meaning: A controversial subject that no one wants to talk about; often an issue that makes everyone feel uncomfortable.
Examples:
- Gun control is a political hot potato.
- I try to avoid discussing about religion, it can be a hot potato.
27) Beat the clock ⏰
Meaning: Finish something before time is up, before a deadline.
Example:
- Although he’s often late in the mornings, he somehow always manages to beat the clock and finishes his tasks before anyone else.
Keep reading: Once In A Blue Moon… And Other Great Time Idioms
28) Take with a grain of salt 🧂🤏🏼
Meaning: Be a bit skeptical about it. Only believe part of it. (UK version: take with a grain of salt)
Example:
- Take everything she says with a pinch of salt, because she tends to exaggerate.
29) Think outside the box 📦💡
Very common, and sometimes overused.
Meaning: think in an original, creative way.
Example:
- We’ll need to think outside the box if we want to get this project off the ground.
30) The elephant in the room 🐘
Meaning: An obvious issue people don’t want to talk about.
Example:
- I know you all have very busy days, so perhaps we can start by addressing the elephant in the room?
Why Lists Aren’t Enough To Master Idioms
Lists help you recognize idioms on the page. Real confidence comes from understanding how they’re used – tone, timing, and intention.
Business idiom confidence isn’t about memorization. It’s about interpretation.
That’s why professionals who rely only on lists still feel unsure in meetings.
Understand Business Idioms When You Hear Them
You’ve seen the most common idioms. The next step is learning how they’re actually used at work.
Sign up for free and start Talaera’s idiom lessons to understand real workplace English in context. Free account required. Selected lessons included.
Want something you can save as a reference?
👉 Download the free idioms guide with 70+ business expressions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay if I don’t use idioms myself at work?
Yes. You don’t need to use idioms to sound professional. What matters most is understanding them when others use them.
Why do idioms make meetings harder to follow?
Idioms are indirect and culturally loaded. If you don’t interpret them quickly, you can miss the speaker’s intent.
Do idiom lists actually help?
They help with recognition, but not with real-time understanding. Context is what builds confidence.
How can I improve my understanding of business idioms long term?
The fastest way is to learn idioms in real situations. Talaera’s idiom lessons and Business English courses show how professionals actually use these expressions at work.
