Idioms Asked in SSC CGL: Quick Answer
Idioms asked in SSC CGL are fixed expressions such as bury the hatchet, Hobson's choice and flash in the pan, whose meaning cannot be worked out from the individual words. SSC CGL Tier 1 usually has 1 to 3 idiom questions in the English section, in the form "Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom" or "Select the idiom that can replace the underlined words". This note gives 156 idioms and phrases in A–Z tables with simple meanings and examples, and marks the 25 that appeared in SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 shifts.
🔥 Key Exam Takeaway: SSC repeats idioms across exams and years. Learn the meaning and one example sentence for each idiom, and revise the shift-wise list of CGL 2025 idioms below. Questions from a single shift are often reused as options in later shifts and in CHSL, MTS and CPO.
Every meaning in the A–Z tables was checked against the Cambridge Dictionary (some idioms are listed there in a slightly different form, such as be barking up the wrong tree or fight like cat and dog). The "Asked in SSC CGL 2025" column is filled only where a shift-wise source confirms the idiom in that exact shift: EduRev's shift-tagged list of SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 idiom questions and Izycrack's 12 September 2025 Shift 2 analysis. No reliable shift-wise idiom list for SSC CGL 2026 or CHSL 2025 was available when this note was written, so nothing is marked for them.
How Idioms and Phrases Are Asked in SSC CGL (Question Types)
| Question type | What you see | How to solve |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of idiom | "Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: Bury the hatchet" | Recall the fixed meaning; ignore the literal picture |
| Idiom in a sentence | "Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the sentence" | Read the whole sentence; the context confirms the meaning |
| Replace the phrase | "Select the idiom that can substitute the underlined segment" | Find the option whose meaning matches the underlined words exactly |
| Cloze test / fill in the blank | An idiom with one word missing (a ____ in disguise) | Idioms are fixed; only the exact word fits (blessing) |
Idioms and phrases weightage in SSC CGL
Shift-wise topic tables published for SSC CGL Tier 1 (for example on ixambee and Notifyhere) show about 2 idiom questions per shift, sometimes 3. That is 2 to 6 marks in Tier 1, and idioms also appear in CGL Tier 2 English, CHSL, MTS and CPO papers.
Trick to Learn Idioms for SSC CGL Fast (Step-by-Step)
- Never choose the literal meaning. SSC almost always puts the word-for-word meaning as a wrong option (for at sea, "travelling abroad" is the trap; the answer is "confused").
- Learn in groups. Group idioms by theme: anger (fly off the handle, see red), secrets (spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag), giving up (throw in the towel), success (with flying colours).
- Attach one example sentence. A sentence fixes the meaning better than a definition.
- Mark the PYQs. Revise the ✅ idioms in the tables and the extra 2025 list first; they are the ones SSC has already used.
- Revise in short daily rounds. Ten idioms a day for two weeks covers this whole page twice.
Idioms and Phrases List for SSC CGL A to Z (with Meanings and Examples)
✅ = asked in an SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 shift (date and shift given; S1 = Shift 1).
Idioms Starting with A to B (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above board | honest and legal; done openly | The whole deal was above board. | – |
| Achilles heel | a small weakness in a strong person or system | Spelling questions are his Achilles heel. | – |
| Add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse | His rude reply only added fuel to the fire. | – |
| All ears | listening eagerly and carefully | Tell me your plan; I am all ears. | – |
| The apple of your eye | a person you love very much | Her son is the apple of her eye. | – |
| An arm and a leg | a very large amount of money | That phone cost me an arm and a leg. | – |
| At sixes and sevens | in a state of confusion or disorder | After the shift, the office was at sixes and sevens. | – |
| At the eleventh hour | at the last possible moment | He submitted the form at the eleventh hour. | – |
| Back to square one | back to the starting point after a failure | The plan was rejected, so we are back to square one. | – |
| The ball is in your court | it is your turn to act or decide | I've made my offer; the ball is in your court. | – |
| Bark up the wrong tree | blame the wrong person or follow a wrong idea | If you think I took the book, you are barking up the wrong tree. | – |
| Beat about the bush | avoid saying something directly | Stop beating about the bush and tell me the result. | – |
| A bed of roses | an easy, pleasant situation (usually used in the negative) | Life in a hostel is not a bed of roses. | – |
| Bell the cat | do a dangerous job that others are afraid to do | Everyone wanted to complain, but no one would bell the cat. | – |
| Below the belt | unfair or cruel | Mocking his illness was below the belt. | – |
| Bite off more than you can chew | try to do more than you are able to | Taking four courses at once, she bit off more than she could chew. | – |
| Bite the bullet | force yourself to do something unpleasant | I bit the bullet and told my parents the truth. | – |
| Bite the dust | die, or (of a plan or business) fail and come to an end | Another start-up bit the dust this year. | – |
| A bitter pill to swallow | something unpleasant that you have to accept | Losing the final by one run was a bitter pill to swallow. | – |
| A blessing in disguise | something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good | Missing the bus was a blessing in disguise; it later broke down. | – |
| Blow hot and cold | keep changing your attitude or opinion | He blows hot and cold about joining the course. | ✅ 14 Sep, S2 |
| Blow your own trumpet | praise yourself and your achievements | He never misses a chance to blow his own trumpet. | – |
| Bolt from the blue | a sudden and unexpected event, usually unpleasant | The news of the factory closure came like a bolt from the blue. | – |
| Break the ice | make people feel relaxed at a first meeting | A funny introduction helped to break the ice. | – |
| Bring down the house | make an audience laugh or clap loudly | Her speech brought the house down. | – |
| Burn the candle at both ends | work very hard from early morning till late night | Burning the candle at both ends before exams can make you ill. | – |
| Burn the midnight oil | work or study late into the night | She burnt the midnight oil before the Tier 1 exam. | – |
| Bury the hatchet | stop arguing and become friends again | The two brothers finally buried the hatchet. | ✅ 14 Sep, S1 |
| By hook or by crook | by any means, fair or unfair | He wants the job by hook or by crook. | – |
| By leaps and bounds | very quickly and in large amounts | Her English improved by leaps and bounds. | – |
| By the skin of your teeth | only just; by a very narrow margin | He passed by the skin of his teeth. | ✅ 21 Sep, S2 |
Idioms Starting with C to D (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call a spade a spade | speak plainly and honestly | My coach calls a spade a spade. | – |
| Call it a day | stop working for the day | We had studied for ten hours, so we called it a day. | – |
| Carry the day | win or be successful | The home team carried the day. | – |
| Cast pearls before swine | offer something valuable to people who cannot appreciate it | Explaining poetry to him is casting pearls before swine. | – |
| A cock-and-bull story | a story that is obviously untrue, told as an excuse | He told the teacher a cock-and-bull story about his dog eating his homework. | – |
| Cold feet | sudden nervousness that stops you from doing something planned | He got cold feet before the interview. | – |
| Come rain or shine | whatever happens | Come rain or shine, she goes to the library. | – |
| Cost the earth | be very expensive | A coaching course needn't cost the earth. | – |
| Cry over spilt milk | be upset about something that cannot be changed | The paper is over; there is no use crying over spilt milk. | – |
| Cut corners | do something cheaply or quickly by skipping steps | Don't cut corners while revising grammar. | – |
| Cut no ice | have no effect or influence | His excuses cut no ice with the principal. | – |
| A dark horse | a person who keeps their abilities hidden and then surprises everyone, for example by winning | The new candidate turned out to be a dark horse in the election. | – |
| Days are numbered | something will soon end or fail | The old printing press's days are numbered. | – |
| Dead wood | people or things that are no longer useful | The new manager cleared out the dead wood. | – |
| Down in the dumps | sad and depressed | She has been down in the dumps since the result. | – |
| Down to earth | practical and realistic; not proud | Despite her success she is very down to earth. | – |
| Draw the line | refuse to go beyond a certain limit because you think it is wrong | I help friends, but I draw the line at cheating. | – |
| A drop in the ocean | a very small amount compared with what is needed | The donation was only a drop in the ocean. | – |
Idioms Starting with E to G (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eat humble pie | admit that you were wrong and say sorry | He had to eat humble pie after his prediction failed. | ✅ 16 Sep, S1 |
| Eat your words | admit that what you said was wrong | He laughed at me, but he had to eat his words. | – |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | every bad situation has some good side | Every cloud has a silver lining; the delay gave us more time to study. | – |
| Face the music | accept criticism or punishment for something you did | After breaking the window, he had to face the music. | – |
| Fair and square | honestly and according to the rules | She won the debate fair and square. | – |
| Fall flat | fail to have the intended effect | His joke fell flat. | – |
| A far cry from | very different from | The new office is a far cry from the old cramped room. | – |
| Few and far between | rare; not frequent | Good teachers are few and far between. | – |
| Fight like cat and dog | argue angrily all the time | The two neighbours fight like cat and dog. | – |
| Fight tooth and nail | fight very hard with all your strength | The villagers fought tooth and nail to save the school. | ✅ 15 Sep, S2 |
| Fish in troubled waters | try to gain from a confused or difficult situation | Some traders fish in troubled waters during shortages. | – |
| A fish out of water | someone who feels uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation | At the formal party he felt like a fish out of water. | – |
| Flash in the pan | a sudden success that does not last | His first hit film was just a flash in the pan. | ✅ 20 Sep, S1 |
| Fly off the handle | suddenly become very angry | He flies off the handle at the smallest mistake. | ✅ 12 Sep, S3 |
| Follow suit | do the same as someone else has just done | One bank cut rates and others followed suit. | – |
| From pillar to post | from one place to another without success | He was sent from pillar to post to get his certificate. | – |
| Get wind of | hear about something secret | The press got wind of the plan. | – |
| Give the cold shoulder | deliberately ignore someone or be unfriendly | After the argument she gave me the cold shoulder. | – |
| Go against the grain | be contrary to your nature or beliefs | Lying goes against the grain for him. | – |
| Go down the drain | be wasted | All our efforts went down the drain. | – |
| Go Dutch | share the cost of something equally | The friends decided to go Dutch at dinner. | – |
Idioms Starting with H to K (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand in glove | working very closely together, often secretly or dishonestly | The clerk was hand in glove with the thieves. | ✅ 19 Sep, S2 |
| Head over heels | completely, especially in love | He fell head over heels in love. | – |
| Hit the nail on the head | describe exactly what is causing a problem | You hit the nail on the head when you said time management was the issue. | – |
| Hit the sack | go to bed | I'm tired; I'm going to hit the sack. | – |
| Hobson's choice | a situation where there is no real choice | With only one bus a day, it was Hobson's choice. | ✅ 12 Sep, S1 |
| Hold water | be logical and believable (of an argument or excuse) | His alibi does not hold water. | – |
| Hue and cry | loud public protest | There was a hue and cry over the fee hike. | – |
| In black and white | in writing | Get the offer in black and white. | – |
| In cold blood | cruelly and deliberately | The crime was committed in cold blood. | – |
| In hot water | in trouble | He is in hot water for missing the deadline. | – |
| In the doldrums | in a state of low activity or low spirits | The market has been in the doldrums for months. | ✅ 16 Sep, S3 |
| In the nick of time | just in time; at the last moment | The ambulance arrived in the nick of time. | – |
| In the same boat | in the same difficult situation as others | All aspirants are in the same boat this year. | – |
| Keep at bay | keep someone or something away so that it cannot harm you | Regular revision keeps forgetting at bay. | ✅ 15 Sep, S1 |
| Keep the wolf from the door | earn just enough money to avoid hunger | He took two jobs to keep the wolf from the door. | – |
| Keep your fingers crossed | hope for good luck | Keep your fingers crossed for my result. | – |
| Keep your head above water | manage to survive, especially financially | With rising prices, small shops struggle to keep their heads above water. | – |
| Kill two birds with one stone | achieve two things with one action | Reading English newspapers kills two birds with one stone: vocabulary and current affairs. | – |
| Know the ropes | know how to do a job well | Ask Riya; she knows the ropes. | – |
Idioms Starting with L to N (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The last straw | the final problem that makes a situation unbearable | His rude comment was the last straw. | – |
| Leave no stone unturned | do everything possible to achieve something | The police left no stone unturned to find the child. | ✅ 12 Sep, S2 |
| Lend an ear | listen carefully and kindly | Thanks for lending an ear to my problems. | – |
| Let the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret by mistake | She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. | – |
| Lion's share | the largest part of something | The lion's share of the budget goes to defence. | – |
| Live from hand to mouth | have only just enough money to survive | After the floods, many families lived from hand to mouth. | – |
| Look before you leap | think carefully before you act | Look before you leap into a costly course. | – |
| Lose your temper | suddenly become angry | He lost his temper with the shopkeeper. | – |
| Make a clean breast of | tell the full truth about something you did wrong | He made a clean breast of his mistake. | ✅ 26 Sep, S2 |
| Make both ends meet | manage to live on the money you have | Many families find it hard to make both ends meet. | – |
| Make hay while the sun shines | use an opportunity while it lasts | The festive sale is on, so shops make hay while the sun shines. | – |
| Make no bones about | say something clearly without hiding feelings | She made no bones about her dislike for the plan. | ✅ 13 Sep, S1 |
| Mince words | speak indirectly to avoid upsetting someone (often 'not mince words') | The coach did not mince words about our poor fielding. | – |
| Move heaven and earth | do everything you can to achieve something | She moved heaven and earth to get her brother admitted. | ✅ 12 Sep, S2 |
| Nip in the bud | stop something at an early stage | The teacher nipped the rumour in the bud. | – |
| Null and void | having no legal force; invalid | The agreement was declared null and void. | – |
Idioms Starting with O to R (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off the cuff | without preparation | He gave an off-the-cuff speech. | – |
| Old wives' tale | a traditional belief that is not true | That cold weather causes a cold is an old wives' tale. | – |
| On cloud nine | extremely happy | She was on cloud nine after her selection. | – |
| On tenterhooks | nervous and anxious while waiting for something | We were on tenterhooks till the result came. | ✅ 22 Sep, S2 |
| On the fence | not able to decide between two choices | Many voters are still on the fence. | – |
| Once in a blue moon | very rarely | He visits his village once in a blue moon. | – |
| Out of the blue | suddenly and unexpectedly | Out of the blue, he called me after ten years. | – |
| Over the moon | extremely pleased | My parents were over the moon with my rank. | – |
| Pay through the nose | pay much more than something is worth | Tourists pay through the nose for water at the fort. | – |
| A piece of cake | something very easy to do | The first question was a piece of cake. | – |
| Play second fiddle | be less important than someone else | He refused to play second fiddle to his junior. | ✅ 22 Sep, S3 |
| Pull someone's leg | tease someone by telling them something untrue | Don't worry, I'm only pulling your leg. | – |
| Pull strings | use influence with important people to get something | He pulled strings to get a seat on the train. | – |
| Pull your socks up | make an effort to improve | You must pull your socks up before the mains. | – |
| Put the cart before the horse | do things in the wrong order | Buying books before choosing the exam is putting the cart before the horse. | – |
| Rain cats and dogs | rain very heavily | It was raining cats and dogs on exam day. | – |
| Read between the lines | understand the hidden meaning | Read between the lines of his polite letter. | – |
| Red herring | something that misleads or distracts from the real issue | The clue about the car was a red herring. | ✅ 25 Sep, S1 |
| A red letter day | a very happy and important day | The day she cleared the exam was a red letter day for the family. | – |
| Red tape | official rules and paperwork that cause delay | Red tape delayed the project by a year. | – |
| Rise to the occasion | succeed in dealing with a difficult situation | The young bowler rose to the occasion in the final over. | ✅ 26 Sep, S2 |
| Rule the roost | be the most powerful person in a group | In this house, my grandmother rules the roost. | – |
| Run of the mill | ordinary; not special | It was a run-of-the-mill hotel. | – |
Idioms Starting with S to T (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sail close to the wind | do something that is almost illegal or improper | The company sails close to the wind with its accounts. | ✅ 22 Sep, S2 |
| See eye to eye | agree completely | We don't always see eye to eye on politics. | – |
| See red | become very angry | He saw red when someone scratched his bike. | – |
| Sit on the fence | avoid taking sides in an argument | You can't sit on the fence for ever; choose a side. | ✅ 26 Sep, S2 |
| Smell a rat | suspect that something is wrong | When the price was so low, I smelt a rat. | – |
| Spill the beans | tell a secret | Who spilled the beans about the test date? | – |
| Steal a march on | gain an advantage by acting before others | The company stole a march on its rivals. | ✅ 15 Sep, S2 |
| Steal the show | get the most attention and praise | The child dancer stole the show. | – |
| A storm in a teacup | a lot of anger or worry about something unimportant | The quarrel over seats was just a storm in a teacup. | – |
| Take to your heels | run away | The thief took to his heels on seeing the police. | – |
| Take with a pinch of salt | not fully believe something | Take social media rumours with a pinch of salt. | – |
| Throw cold water on | discourage an idea or plan | His father threw cold water on his plan to drop out. | ✅ 14 Sep, S3 |
| Throw in the towel | admit defeat and give up | Don't throw in the towel after one bad mock. | – |
| Tie the knot | get married | They tied the knot last winter. | – |
| Toe the line | obey the rules or orders | Employees are expected to toe the line. | ✅ 16 Sep, S2 |
| Turn a deaf ear | refuse to listen | He turned a deaf ear to all advice. | – |
| Turn over a new leaf | change and start behaving better | After failing, he turned over a new leaf. | – |
| Turn the tables | reverse a situation to gain an advantage | The team turned the tables in the second half. | – |
Idioms Starting with U to Z (SSC CGL List)
| Idiom | Meaning | Example | Asked in SSC CGL 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under the weather | slightly ill | I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. | – |
| Up in arms | very angry and protesting | Residents are up in arms about the new road. | – |
| Water under the bridge | past problems that are no longer important | Our old quarrel is water under the bridge. | – |
| A wet blanket | a person who spoils other people's fun | Don't be a wet blanket; come to the picnic. | – |
| A white elephant | something costly to keep but of little use | The huge stadium became a white elephant after the games. | – |
| Wild goose chase | a useless search for something you cannot find | Looking for the old file was a wild goose chase. | – |
| With flying colours | with great success | She cleared the interview with flying colours. | – |
| Without batting an eyelid | without showing any surprise or worry | He paid the huge bill without batting an eyelid. | – |
| The writing on the wall | a sign that something bad will happen | The losses were the writing on the wall for the firm. | ✅ 24 Sep, S2 |
| Your cup of tea | something you like or are good at (often negative) | Horror films are not my cup of tea. | – |
All Idioms Asked in SSC CGL 2025: Other Shift-Wise PYQs
These idioms were also asked in SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 (EduRev's shift-tagged list). Several are rare or literary, so they are listed separately. Meanings are given as per the answer key, in simple words.
| Idiom (as asked) | Meaning | SSC CGL 2025 shift |
|---|---|---|
| Has two strings to his bow | has another skill or option to fall back on | 13 Sep, S2 |
| Show the white feather | act like a coward | 13 Sep, S3 |
| Fiddle while Rome burns | waste time on small things during a crisis | 15 Sep, S3 |
| Carry coals to Newcastle | take something to a place that already has plenty of it | 16 Sep, S2 |
| Chew the cud (of reflection) | think deeply about something | 17 Sep, S1 |
| Not fit to hold a candle to | far less good than someone | 17 Sep, S2 |
| Cry stinking fish | run down your own work or worth | 17 Sep, S3 |
| Won his laurels | gained fame or honour | 18 Sep, S1 |
| Came of age | reached adulthood | 18 Sep, S1 |
| Gall and wormwood | something that causes deep bitterness and resentment | 18 Sep, S2 |
| The sword of Damocles | a constant threat hanging over someone | 18 Sep, S3 |
| Keeps a good table | serves generous, good-quality meals | 18 Sep, S3 |
| Hoist with one's own petard | harmed by one's own plan meant for others | 19 Sep, S1 |
| Currying favour | trying to win approval by flattery | 19 Sep, S2 |
| Chapter and verse | exact details or references | 19 Sep, S3 |
| Bite one's thumb at someone | insult someone with contempt | 20 Sep, S1 |
| Whistle in the dark | pretend to be brave when you are afraid | 20 Sep, S2 |
| Sound and fury | a lot of noise and excitement that means nothing | 20 Sep, S2 |
| Yeoman service | very loyal and useful service | 20 Sep, S3 |
| Coals of fire upon his head | make an enemy ashamed by being kind | 20 Sep, S3 |
| Eat crow | admit you were wrong and accept humiliation | 21 Sep, S1 |
| Draw the long bow | exaggerate or tell unbelievable stories | 21 Sep, S1 |
| Mad as a hatter | completely mad or very eccentric | 21 Sep, S2 |
| Throw one's hat into the ring | announce that you will compete or stand for election | 21 Sep, S3 |
| In high dudgeon | in a resentful, offended mood | 21 Sep, S3 |
| Cook someone's goose | spoil someone's plans or chances | 22 Sep, S1 |
| Sup with the devil | deal with a dishonest or evil person | 22 Sep, S1 |
| Hang fire | delay taking action or deciding | 22 Sep, S3 |
| Know which way the wind blows | understand how a situation is developing before acting | 23 Sep, S1 |
| Break one's duck | achieve a first success after failures | 23 Sep, S1 |
| Cut someone dead | deliberately ignore someone | 23 Sep, S1 |
| Play gooseberry | be an unwanted third person with a couple | 23 Sep, S3 |
| At sea | confused | 24 Sep, S1 |
| Cut the Gordian knot | solve a hard problem by bold, direct action | 24 Sep, S1 |
| Harp on the same string | keep repeating the same point | 24 Sep, S1 |
| Jump the shark | pass its peak and start to decline | 24 Sep, S3 |
| Not in my line | not my field or expertise | 24 Sep, S3 |
| Go for a song | be sold very cheaply | 25 Sep, S2 |
| Not to mince matters | speak frankly without softening it | 25 Sep, S2 |
| Throw one's cap over the windmill | act recklessly, ignoring what people think | 25 Sep, S3 |
| No gainsaying | it cannot be denied | 26 Sep, S3 |
| Kick up a row | cause a noisy quarrel or protest | 26 Sep, S3 |
| Birds of a feather flock together | people of the same kind keep together | 14 Oct, S2 |
| Send to Coventry | refuse to talk to someone as a punishment | 14 Oct, S2 |
Most Asked Idioms in SSC CGL: Look-Alike Traps
| Pair | Do not confuse |
|---|---|
| Bury the hatchet vs Hang fire | make peace vs delay a decision |
| Hand in glove vs Hand to mouth | working closely (often dishonestly) vs having only just enough to live |
| Blow hot and cold vs Blow your own trumpet | keep changing your mind vs praise yourself |
| Cold feet vs Cold shoulder | sudden nervousness vs deliberately ignoring someone |
| Sit on the fence vs Draw the line | stay undecided vs refuse to go beyond a limit |
| A dark horse vs A white elephant | hidden talent who surprises vs costly but useless possession |
| Red tape vs Red herring | delaying official rules vs a misleading clue |
| At sea vs In the same boat | confused vs in the same difficult situation |
Common Mistakes in SSC CGL Idiom Questions
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Picking the literal option | SSC puts the literal meaning as a trap; idioms are figurative |
| Changing the fixed words | Every cloud has a silver lining, not "golden lining"; a blessing in disguise, not "a blessing in hiding" |
| Ignoring tone | Fly off the handle is sudden anger, not "escaping"; choose the option with the right feeling |
| Mixing look-alikes | Revise the trap pairs above side by side |
| Learning only the meaning | Learn one example sentence; sentence-based questions need it |
Quick Revision: 20 Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL 2026
| Idiom | One-line meaning |
|---|---|
| Hobson's choice | no real choice |
| Bury the hatchet | make peace |
| Flash in the pan | short-lived success |
| Steal a march on | get ahead by acting first |
| Toe the line | obey the rules |
| In the doldrums | inactive or low in spirits |
| On tenterhooks | anxious while waiting |
| Sail close to the wind | almost break the rules |
| Red herring | misleading clue |
| Make no bones about | say openly |
| Throw cold water on | discourage |
| Blow hot and cold | keep changing your mind |
| Leave no stone unturned | try every possible way |
| Move heaven and earth | do everything possible |
| Eat humble pie | admit a mistake humbly |
| By the skin of your teeth | only just |
| Play second fiddle | take a less important role |
| The writing on the wall | sign of coming failure |
| White elephant | costly but useless thing |
| Bell the cat | take a risk others avoid |
Idioms Asked in SSC CGL: Practice Questions with Answers
Questions follow the current SSC CGL Tier 1 format. Each has one correct option.
Q1. Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: Hobson's choice (a) a free and fair choice (b) no real choice at all (c) a choice between two evils (d) a wise choice
Answer: (b). With Hobson's choice you seem to have options but really have only one. Option (c) is a trap: a choice between two evils is a dilemma.
Q2. Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: Steal a march on (a) betray a friend (b) walk faster than others (c) gain an advantage by acting before others (d) escape punishment
Answer: (c). The literal option (b) is the trap.
Q3. Select the idiom that can replace the underlined words: The two rival groups finally decided to end their quarrel and become friends. (a) bit the bullet (b) buried the hatchet (c) burnt the midnight oil (d) broke the ice
Answer: (b) buried the hatchet. Broke the ice is about starting a conversation, not ending a quarrel.
Q4. Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom: The company has been in the doldrums since the new tax came in. (a) doing very well (b) in a state of low activity (c) sailing abroad (d) in legal trouble
Answer: (b).
Q5. Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: Sail close to the wind (a) avoid every risk (b) travel quickly (c) do something that is almost illegal or improper (d) change opinions often
Answer: (c). Option (d) describes blow hot and cold.
Q6. Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: A flash in the pan (a) a lasting achievement (b) a sudden success that does not last (c) a clever plan (d) a kitchen accident
Answer: (b).
Q7. Select the idiom that can replace the underlined words: Don't keep changing your opinion about the proposal. (a) blow hot and cold (b) blow your own trumpet (c) beat about the bush (d) see red
Answer: (a) blow hot and cold.
Q8. Fill in the blank with the correct word: Losing the job turned out to be a blessing in ______, as he started his own business. (a) hiding (b) disguise (c) secret (d) mask
Answer: (b) disguise. Idioms are fixed; only disguise is correct.
Q9. Select the most appropriate meaning of the idiom: Red tape (a) a danger signal (b) a misleading clue (c) official rules and paperwork that cause delay (d) a winning line in a race
Answer: (c). Option (b) is red herring, a common trap.
Q10. Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom: The students were on tenterhooks until the results were declared. (a) very excited and happy (b) nervous and anxious while waiting (c) completely relaxed (d) angry and protesting
Answer: (b).
Idioms and Phrases for SSC CGL FAQs
How many idioms are asked in SSC CGL?
Usually 1 to 3 idiom questions per shift in Tier 1 (about 2 on average in shift-wise analyses), plus some in Tier 2 English and in sentence-based questions.
Which idioms were asked in SSC CGL 2025?
The 25 idioms marked ✅ in the A–Z tables and the 44 in the "Other Shift-Wise PYQs" table above were asked across the SSC CGL 2025 Tier 1 shifts, for example Hobson's choice (12 Sep, Shift 1), Bury the hatchet (14 Sep, Shift 1) and Red herring (25 Sep, Shift 1).
What is the best way to learn idioms for SSC CGL?
Learn them in themed groups, always with one example sentence, never pick the literal option, and revise previous-year idioms first.
What is the difference between an idiom and a phrase?
An idiom is a fixed expression with a figurative meaning (spill the beans). A phrase is any group of words; SSC uses "idioms and phrases" together for both idioms and fixed phrasal expressions.
Is there an idioms and phrases for SSC CGL PDF?
This page is a free printable list: use your browser's Print option and choose "Save as PDF" to keep it for offline revision.
Are idioms asked in SSC CHSL and MTS too?
Yes. CHSL, MTS and CPO English sections ask idioms in the same format, so this list works for them as well.
Related topics: revise sentence improvement rules for SSC CGL, spelling errors for SSC CGL and synonyms and antonyms for SSC CGL 2026 next.
Practice Next
- New SSC CGL tests (Tier 1 level): SSC CGL English Sectional Mock Test 09 and SSC CGL English Mini Mock Test 02.
- Take the test: SSC English Idioms and Phrases Hard Level Practice Test, SSC CGL English Comprehension Sectional Mock Test 01 and Sectional Mock Test 02. Topic-wise practice: SSC CGL Idioms and Phrases Mock Test 01 and SSC CHSL Idioms and Phrases Mock Test 01.
- Exam dates and eligibility: SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026.
- More English vocabulary: One Word Substitution for SSC CGL and Phrasal Verbs for SSC CGL.
- Bank exams: Word Swap Questions for Bank Exams.
- General Awareness: 12 Schedules of Indian Constitution Trick.
- More study material: all BookOfExams notes.
🚀 Final Exam Tip: In every idiom question, first strike out the option that matches the literal picture of the words. In most SSC questions, that alone leaves you with two options.
Best of luck with your preparation!