Do you like learning new English expressions? Animal idioms are a great way to make your English more fun and interesting! These idioms use animals to show special meanings. By learning animal idioms with meanings, you can understand native speakers better and sound more natural when you speak.
90 Animal Idioms with Meanings and Examples
1. A Fish Out of Water
Meaning: Uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.
Example: When she moved to a new city, she felt like a fish out of water.
2. The Lion’s Share
Meaning: The largest portion.
Example: She took the lion’s share of the credit for the project’s success.
3. Let the Cat Out of the Bag
Meaning: Reveal a secret carelessly.
Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
4. Take the Bull by the Horns
Meaning: Face a challenge directly.
Example: Instead of avoiding the issue, he took the bull by the horns.
5. Kill Two Birds with One Stone
Meaning: Achieve two goals with one action.
Example: By cycling to work, she kills two birds with one stone—saving money and getting exercise.
6. Curiosity Killed the Cat
Meaning: Inquisitive behavior can lead to trouble.
Example: Be careful asking too many questions—curiosity killed the cat.
7. The Elephant in the Room
Meaning: An obvious issue that people avoid discussing.
Example: The debt crisis is the elephant in the room that no one wants to address.
8. Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: A futile or hopeless pursuit.
Example: Searching for her lost earring in the park was a wild goose chase.
9. Hold Your Horses
Meaning: Wait or be patient.
Example: Hold your horses! The results will be announced soon.
10. Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Meaning: People with similar interests tend to associate with each other.
Example: Those two are always together—birds of a feather flock together.
Read this article: 40 Horse Idioms with Meaning and Examples You Can Use Daily.
11. Dog-Eat-Dog World
Meaning: A fiercely competitive environment.
Example: It’s a dog-eat-dog world in the corporate sector.
12. Monkey Business
Meaning: Mischievous or deceitful behavior.
Example: The teacher suspected monkey business when she found the misplaced test papers.
13. Busy as a Bee
Meaning: Very active and hardworking.
Example: She’s been busy as a bee preparing for the conference.
14. Crocodile Tears
Meaning: Fake tears or insincere sorrow.
Example: She shed crocodile tears when she got caught.
15. Eagle Eye
Meaning: Keen attention to detail.
Example: She has an eagle eye for spotting errors.
16. Ants in Your Pants
Meaning: Restless or impatient.
Example: She had ants in her pants waiting for the interview.
17. Herd Mentality
Meaning: The tendency to follow the crowd.
Example: Investing without research is just herd mentality.
18. Black Sheep
Meaning: The odd or disreputable member of a group.
Example: He’s the black sheep of the family—always in trouble.
19. Smell a Rat
Meaning: Sense something suspicious.
Example: I smelled a rat when he started avoiding my calls.
20. Dog Days
Meaning: The hottest days of summer.
Example: The dog days of summer are unbearable without air conditioning.
21. As the Crow Flies
Meaning: The shortest, most direct route.
Example: The town is 20 miles away as the crow flies.
22. Straight from the Horse’s Mouth
Meaning: Directly from the source.
Example: I heard the news straight from the horse’s mouth.
23. A Sitting Duck
Meaning: An easy target.
Example: Without security, the warehouse is a sitting duck for thieves.
24. Get Your Goat
Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone.
Example: Her constant interruptions really get my goat.
25. Pig Out
Meaning: To eat a lot or overindulge.
Example: We pigged out on pizza during the movie marathon.
26. Raining Cats and Dogs
Meaning: Raining very heavily.
Example: It’s raining cats and dogs—don’t forget your umbrella!
27. Go Cold Turkey
Meaning: To quit something abruptly.
Example: He went cold turkey and quit smoking overnight.
28. Horse of a Different Color
Meaning: A completely different matter.
Example: I thought it was a simple issue, but it turned out to be a horse of a different color.
29. Like Water Off a Duck’s Back
Meaning: Having no effect; easily brushed aside.
Example: Criticism is like water off a duck’s back for her.
30. Snake in the Grass
Meaning: A deceitful or treacherous person.
Example: Be careful—there’s a snake in the grass among us.
31. A Lone Wolf
Meaning: Someone who prefers solitude.
Example: He’s a lone wolf who enjoys working independently.
32. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Meaning: Avoid bringing up issues that could cause trouble.
Example: There’s no need to revisit old arguments—let sleeping dogs lie.
33. Butterflies in Your Stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious.
Example: She had butterflies in her stomach before her big performance.
34. Wolf Down
Meaning: To eat quickly and greedily.
Example: He wolfed down his lunch before heading back to work.
35. Cat Got Your Tongue?
Meaning: Unable to speak, often due to shyness or surprise.
Example: Why are you so quiet—cat got your tongue?
36. Be the Guinea Pig
Meaning: To be a test subject.
Example: I’ll be the guinea pig and try the new recipe first.
37. The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Meaning: Success comes to those who prepare well or arrive early.
Example: She always arrives early—the early bird catches the worm.
38. Fly on the Wall
Meaning: A quiet observer who listens without being noticed.
Example: I’d love to be a fly on the wall during their meetings.
39. Stubborn as a Mule
Meaning: Very stubborn and unwilling to change.
Example: He’s as stubborn as a mule when it comes to his opinions.
40. Chicken Out
Meaning: To back out of something due to fear.
Example: He chickened out at the last minute and didn’t ride the roller coaster.
41. Like a Lamb to the Slaughter
Meaning: Going into a dangerous situation innocently and unaware.
Example: She went into the negotiation like a lamb to the slaughter.
42. Happy as a Clam
Meaning: Very content or satisfied.
Example: She’s happy as a clam with her new job.
43. Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Meaning: Pursuing the wrong course of action.
Example: If you think I’m the one to blame, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
44. Rat Race
Meaning: A competitive, stressful lifestyle.
Example: He left the rat race to start his own business.
45. Goose Bumps
Meaning: Small bumps on the skin due to fear or excitement.
Example: That horror movie gave me goose bumps.
46. Like a Bull in a China Shop
Meaning: Clumsy or careless in a delicate situation.
Example: He handled the negotiations like a bull in a china shop.
47. One-Trick Pony
Meaning: Someone with only one skill or talent.
Example: He’s not just a one-trick pony—he can sing and act.
48. Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Don’t assume success before it happens.
Example: You shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch—wait for the final results.
49. A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush
Meaning: It’s better to have something certain than risk it for more.
Example: I won’t gamble my savings—after all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
50. Flog a Dead Horse
Meaning: To waste time on a hopeless issue.
Example: Discussing this further is just flogging a dead horse.
51. Bite the Hand That Feeds You
Meaning: To harm or betray someone who helps you.
Example: Criticizing your boss is biting the hand that feeds you.
52. Busy Beaver
Meaning: Someone who is very hardworking.
Example: She’s a busy beaver, always tackling new projects.
53. Cry Wolf
Meaning: To raise false alarms.
Example: He cried wolf so many times that no one believed him when he needed help.
54. Eager Beaver
Meaning: An enthusiastic and hardworking person.
Example: The new intern is such an eager beaver—always staying late.
55. Mad as a Hornet
Meaning: Extremely angry.
Example: She was mad as a hornet when she found out about the betrayal.
56. Horse Around
Meaning: To play roughly or act silly.
Example: Stop horsing around and focus on your work.
57. Blind as a Bat
Meaning: Having very poor eyesight.
Example: Without her glasses, she’s as blind as a bat.
58. The World is Your Oyster
Meaning: You have many opportunities available.
Example: You’re young and talented—the world is your oyster!
59. Cock and Bull Story
Meaning: An unbelievable, fabricated story.
Example: His explanation sounded like a cock and bull story.
60. Like a Duck to Water
Meaning: To adapt to something naturally and easily.
Example: She took to painting like a duck to water.
61. Look What the Cat Dragged In
Meaning: Said when someone arrives looking untidy or unexpectedly.
Example: Well, look what the cat dragged in! Where have you been?
62. Quiet as a Mouse
Meaning: Very quiet and shy.
Example: The new student was as quiet as a mouse in class.
63. A Whale of a Time
Meaning: To have a great time.
Example: The kids had a whale of a time at the amusement park.
64. Open a Can of Worms
Meaning: To introduce a complex or controversial issue.
Example: Discussing politics at family dinners always opens a can of worms.
65. Dropping Like Flies
Meaning: People leaving or failing quickly in large numbers.
Example: Staff members are dropping like flies due to the tough work environment.
66. Lame Duck
Meaning: A person or thing that is ineffective or weak.
Example: The outgoing president was considered a lame duck.
67. An Albatross Around One’s Neck
Meaning: A burden or a problem that won’t go away.
Example: His gambling debt is an albatross around his neck.
68. Kangaroo Court
Meaning: An unofficial, biased, or unjust court.
Example: The disciplinary committee acted like a kangaroo court.
69. Get Off Your High Horse
Meaning: Stop acting superior.
Example: It’s time to get off your high horse and admit your mistake.
70. Fishy
Meaning: Suspicious or untrustworthy.
Example: His explanation sounded fishy—I don’t believe it.
71. White Elephant
Meaning: An expensive but useless possession.
Example: That luxury yacht became a white elephant—costly to maintain and rarely used.
72. Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly
Meaning: Gentle and harmless.
Example: She’s so kind—she wouldn’t hurt a fly.
73. A Nest Egg
Meaning: Savings set aside for the future.
Example: They’ve built a nice nest egg for their retirement.
74. Bark Is Worse Than Their Bite
Meaning: Someone’s words are harsher than their actions.
Example: Don’t worry—his bark is worse than his bite.
75. Dog in the Manger
Meaning: Someone who prevents others from enjoying something they can’t use themselves.
Example: He’s being a dog in the manger, refusing to share the space he doesn’t need.
76. Fox in the Henhouse
Meaning: Someone who causes trouble in a vulnerable situation.
Example: Hiring him is like putting a fox in the henhouse.
77. Hit the Bullseye
Meaning: To achieve the exact target or goal.
Example: Her presentation hit the bullseye with the clients.
78. Dead as a Dodo
Meaning: Completely obsolete or extinct.
Example: That old software is as dead as a dodo now.
79. You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Can’t Make It Drink
Meaning: You can offer help, but you can’t force others to accept it.
Example: I suggested therapy, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
80. Have a Cow
Meaning: To be very upset or overreact.
Example: She had a cow when she saw the mess in the kitchen.
81. Make a Beeline
Meaning: To go directly toward something.
Example: As soon as the doors opened, she made a beeline for the sale section.
82. Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Meaning: Facing two difficult choices.
Example: I’m caught between a rock and a hard place—either disappoint my friend or my boss.
83. Night Owl
Meaning: Someone who stays up late.
Example: She’s a night owl, always working late into the night.
84. Running Around Like a Headless Chicken
Meaning: Acting in a panic or frenzy without focus.
Example: He was running around like a headless chicken before the presentation.
85. The Cat’s Pajamas
Meaning: Something or someone impressive or stylish.
Example: That new dress is the cat’s pajamas!
86. Dead Duck
Meaning: A hopeless situation or person.
Example: After losing the funding, the project became a dead duck.
87. A Snake in One’s Boots
Meaning: Feeling extremely frightened.
Example: The sudden noise put a snake in my boots!
88. Get Your Ducks in a Row
Meaning: Organize or prepare efficiently.
Example: Before the big event, make sure to get your ducks in a row.
89. Holy Cow!
Meaning: An expression of surprise or disbelief.
Example: Holy cow! I can’t believe you won the lottery!
90. As Sick as a Dog
Meaning: Extremely ill.
Example: I was as sick as a dog after eating that seafood.
Read this article: 100 Tasty Food Idioms with Meanings and Examples.
Exercises about Animal Idioms
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Choose the correct animal idiom to complete each sentence.
- When John moved to a new school, he felt like a ______ out of water.
(Options: fish, bird, cat) - She’s always early to meetings because she believes the early ______ catches the worm.
(Options: bird, cat, horse) - My brother is so stubborn—he’s as stubborn as a ______.
(Options: mule, tiger, duck) - You shouldn’t trust him completely; he could be a ______ in sheep’s clothing.
(Options: lion, wolf, bear) - After the surprise test, the class was as quiet as a ______.
(Options: mouse, lion, snake)
Exercise 2: Match the Idioms with Their Meanings
Match each idiom to its correct meaning.
- Hold your horses
- Wild goose chase
- Smell a rat
- Pig out
- A lone wolf
a) To overeat
b) To suspect something wrong
c) Someone who prefers solitude
d) To be patient
e) A hopeless pursuit
Exercise 3: Create Sentences
Use the following animal idioms to create your own sentences:
- The lion’s share
- Birdbrain
- Like a bull in a china shop
- Dropping like flies
- Cry wolf
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Choose the best meaning for the given idiom.
- “Monkey business” means:
a) Doing hard work
b) Mischievous or dishonest behavior
c) A boring routine - If someone is “eagle-eyed,” they are:
a) Short-sighted
b) Unobservant
c) Very observant - To “let the cat out of the bag” means:
a) To release a pet
b) To reveal a secret
c) To lose control
Animal Idioms Exercises Answers
Exercise 1: 1) fish, 2) bird, 3) mule, 4) wolf, 5) mouse
Exercise 2: 1-d, 2-e, 3-b, 4-a, 5-c
Exercise 4: 1-b, 2-c, 3-b
Conclusion
We hope these 90 animal idioms have been helpful and enjoyable. Keep practicing, and soon these idioms will become a natural part of your English! Remember, learning a language takes time, but every step brings you closer to speaking like a native.
If you enjoyed learning these idioms, try using them in your daily life—you might surprise yourself with how much more expressive your English can be!
