How to use idioms and idiomatic expressions correctly

Don’t sell yourself short by ignoring these powerful, vivid phrases to communicate more effectively. In your writing projects, you can keep from barking up the wrong tree by learning a little bit more about how they work.

What is an idiom?

Idioms and idiomatic expressions are a kind of shorthand for an idea, feeling or a situation that we all might have experienced. They’re not literal—you’re not selling stocks in your language or howling in a forest. Instead, they’re an example of figurative language, which is language that illustrates ideas through the use of non-literal meaning.

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If you’re not a native English speaker, it can be hard to parse an individual idiom. Even certain parts of the country have their own idioms and idiomatic expressions. While we might have the shared emotional understanding of a situation where you might be confused but extremely committed and passionate about your confusion, the image of a dog barking at a tree might not compute for some people.

Idioms can also have long backstories. For instance, barking up the wrong tree comes from the American practice of racoon hunting, where dogs would chase racoons up into trees and stand their barking until their owner caught up with them and the racoon. Racoons, however, could jump from tree to tree, and thus evade the barking hound, leaving the dog and owner perplexed. This is a narrative that people can understand and apply to other situations, but it won’t necessarily work for everyone.

So why do we use idioms? And how did they begin? The answer probably lies in human capacity for storytelling and creativity. It’s a lot easier than saying “you know that feeling…” when you have a phrase that communicates it succinctly without a lot of verbal looping around. Idioms can also be seen as more casual and informal, and so choosing to be less formal in your communication also creates a sense of intimacy. Plus, sometimes it’s fun to just picture a dog barking under a tree while a raccoon scampers safely away, right?

“When used well, an idiom is like a perfect spice in a recipe – it highlights the other ingredients and you’d miss it if weren’t there. Here’s some guidelines that will make using idioms a piece of cake.”

How to use idioms effectively

As illustrated above, there are risks in using idioms—your intention might not translate, you might sound too casual for the situation, or you could just be using the idiom wrong. Because it’s figurative language, its meaning doesn’t always correspond as closely to the actual words. But used well, an idiom is like a perfect spice in a recipe – it highlights the other ingredients and you’d miss it if weren’t there. Here’s some guidelines that will make using idioms a piece of cake.

Make sure your meaning is clear. While idioms can be a shorthand for a larger idea, it doesn’t hurt to have a context where a savvy reader can deduce what the idiom might be implying. For instance, if you say someone is “under the weather”, you can follow it up with something like “he thinks he has the flu, so he won’t be in today.” This can risk being repetitive, but it can also illuminate the idiom’s usage.
Make sure you have a purpose in its use. If you’re writing fiction, you may want your character to embody a certain place or attitude, and a great way to do that is to have them use an idiom or idiomatic expression that makes that fact clear. You can also drop idioms into pieces like blog posts to seem more casual or fun, or to create that intimacy you want readers to feel with you. But steer clear of them in situations where you need to give precise directions or appear very formal—there are not a lot of idioms in instructions manuals or academic writing.
Make sure your audience is likely to understand what you mean. If you’re writing fiction, you may want your character to embody a certain place or attitude, and a great way to do that is to have them use an idiom or idiomatic expression that makes that fact clear. You can also drop idioms into pieces like blog posts to seem more casual or fun, or to create that intimacy you want readers to feel with you. But steer clear of them in situations where you need to give precise directions or appear very formal—there are not a lot of idioms in instructions manuals or academic writing.
Make sure you know what you’re saying. Forget whether your audience knows what you mean—some idioms have somewhat ambiguous or context-depending meanings. For instance, “begs the question” has had a meaning that evolved overtime; many people misuse the phrase, but the misused meaning still has its own common understanding. If you’re using one of those expressions, know what usage you were aiming for, and make sure the context compliments that usage to lessen misinterpretation. And of course, get your idiom’s language correct – “deep-seeded” is different that “deep-seated”.
Make sure your idiom isn’t offensive or biased. Because idioms often originated in human culture, and cultures have evolved and varied, there are plenty of examples of things we used to say but we have realized were prejudicial, insensitive, or based on flawed understandings. Or, we may be unaware of a phrase’s problematic origins. If you’re unsure of an idiom’s backstory or it doesn’t feel right for some reason, do a quick Google of its history. And follow the guidance of editors and especially that of people from specific cultures if they tell you to stop using a certain idiom.
Make sure you don’t use too many idioms. An idiom repeated too often becomes a cliché—some might argue that a lot of common idioms are already cliched. Too many idioms in the same piece of writing can dilute their power and may have your readers questioning whether you can speak or think for yourself.

Feel free to take this article with a grain of salt. But if you do take it more seriously than that, these writing guides from Microsoft 365 will serve you and your words well.