Idioms are vibrant expressions that add flair and depth to our language, often conveying meanings far beyond their literal words. When it comes to idioms about teeth, these phrases are not just about dental health but reflect emotions, actions, and situations in colorful ways. For anyone looking to enhance their communication, learning these tooth-related idioms can make conversations more engaging and relatable. From describing courage to highlighting deception, these expressions are rooted in everyday life and cultural references, making them both practical and entertaining to learn.
Teeth-related idioms often carry lessons about resilience, honesty, or tackling challenges head-on. They’re especially useful for adding a punchy twist to storytelling or casual chats. In this comprehensive blog post, you’ll discover 55 idioms about teeth, their meanings, and example sentences to show how they’re used. Plus, there’s a fun exercise to test your understanding and help you incorporate these phrases into your vocabulary. Let’s sink our teeth into this exciting collection of idioms!
Idioms About Teeth
1. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: To narrowly succeed or escape a difficult situation.
In a Sentence: She passed the final exam by the skin of her teeth, barely scoring enough to move to the next grade.
Other Ways to Say: Just barely, By a hair’s breadth
2. Cut your teeth
Meaning: To gain initial experience in a particular field or activity.
In a Sentence: He cut his teeth as a journalist by writing for the local newspaper during his college years.
Other Ways to Say: Get your start, Learn the ropes
3. Long in the tooth
Meaning: Getting old or past one’s prime.
In a Sentence: Although she’s long in the tooth, Grandma still runs marathons with incredible energy.
Other Ways to Say: Getting on in years, Past one’s prime
4. Sink your teeth into
Meaning: To engage deeply or enthusiastically in a task or project.
In a Sentence: I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this new coding project and explore its challenges.
Other Ways to Say: Dive into, Tackle eagerly
5. Bare your teeth
Meaning: To show aggression or defiance.
In a Sentence: When the debate got heated, she bared her teeth and defended her position fiercely.
Other Ways to Say: Show hostility, Stand your ground
6. Grit your teeth
Meaning: To endure a difficult or painful situation with determination.
In a Sentence: I had to grit my teeth through the dentist’s appointment, but it was worth it for a healthier smile.
Other Ways to Say: Tough it out, Bear the pain
7. Lie through your teeth
Meaning: To tell a blatant or obvious lie.
In a Sentence: He lied through his teeth when he said he finished the project, but his empty folder told the truth.
Other Ways to Say: Tell a bold-faced lie, Make it up
8. Teeth on edge
Meaning: To feel irritated or uncomfortable, often due to a sound or situation.
In a Sentence: The sound of chalk screeching on the blackboard set my teeth on edge during class.
Other Ways to Say: Make you cringe, Get on your nerves
9. Get your teeth into
Meaning: To become fully involved in or committed to something.
In a Sentence: She got her teeth into the novel, staying up all night to finish the thrilling story.
Other Ways to Say: Dive in fully, Engage deeply
10. Show your teeth
Meaning: To demonstrate strength or authority.
In a Sentence: The team captain showed her teeth by leading the group to victory despite the odds.
Other Ways to Say: Assert dominance, Prove your strength
11. Armed to the teeth
Meaning: To be heavily equipped or prepared, often with weapons or resources.
In a Sentence: The explorers were armed to the teeth with supplies for their month-long journey into the wilderness.
Other Ways to Say: Fully equipped, Loaded with gear
12. Like pulling teeth
Meaning: Something extremely difficult or frustrating to accomplish.
In a Sentence: Getting him to talk about his feelings was like pulling teeth, but I finally got through.
Other Ways to Say: Really tough, A struggle
13. Tooth and nail
Meaning: To fight or compete with maximum effort and determination.
In a Sentence: They fought tooth and nail to win the championship, leaving everything on the field.
Other Ways to Say: Fiercely, With all your might
14. Set your teeth
Meaning: To prepare yourself mentally for a challenging task.
In a Sentence: She set her teeth and tackled the difficult math problem with unwavering focus.
Other Ways to Say: Steel yourself, Get ready
15. Give your teeth to
Meaning: To dedicate yourself fully to a cause or task.
In a Sentence: He gave his teeth to the charity event, ensuring every detail was perfect for the fundraiser.
Other Ways to Say: Commit fully, Pour your heart into
16. Have a sweet tooth
Meaning: To love sugary or sweet foods.
In a Sentence: With her sweet tooth, she couldn’t resist the chocolate cake at the party.
Other Ways to Say: Crave sweets, Love desserts
17. Kick in the teeth
Meaning: A harsh or unexpected setback.
In a Sentence: Losing the scholarship was a real kick in the teeth after all her hard work.
Other Ways to Say: Major disappointment, A blow
18. Gnash your teeth
Meaning: To express anger or frustration, often dramatically.
In a Sentence: He gnashed his teeth in frustration when the computer crashed before he saved his work.
Other Ways to Say: Grind your teeth, Seethe with anger
19. Tooth for a tooth
Meaning: Retaliation or revenge in equal measure.
In a Sentence: He believed in a tooth for a tooth, so he confronted his bully head-on.
Other Ways to Say: Eye for an eye, Get even
20. Teeth chattering
Meaning: Shivering or trembling due to cold or fear.
In a Sentence: Standing outside in the snow, her teeth were chattering uncontrollably.
Other Ways to Say: Shaking with cold, Trembling
21. All teeth and no bite
Meaning: Someone who talks tough but doesn’t act on it.
In a Sentence: He threatened to leave the team, but he’s all teeth and no bite, so he stayed.
Other Ways to Say: All talk, No action
22. Clean as a whistle
Meaning: Extremely clean, often referring to teeth or hygiene.
In a Sentence: After her dentist visit, her smile was clean as a whistle and sparkling.
Other Ways to Say: Spotless, Pristine
23. Get your teeth stuck in
Meaning: To engage enthusiastically in a task or challenge.
In a Sentence: I got my teeth stuck in the puzzle, determined to solve it before dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Dive in eagerly, Tackle with gusto
24. Bite your teeth
Meaning: To hold back anger or frustration.
In a Sentence: She had to bite her teeth to stay calm when her boss criticized her unfairly.
Other Ways to Say: Hold your tongue, Keep your cool
25. Teeth like pearls
Meaning: A compliment for beautiful, white teeth.
In a Sentence: Her smile was stunning, with teeth like pearls that lit up the room.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect smile, Radiant teeth
26. Pull your teeth out
Meaning: To go through a very difficult or frustrating process.
In a Sentence: Convincing him to join the trip was like pulling my teeth out, but he finally agreed.
Other Ways to Say: Tough task, Hard work
27. Sharpen your teeth
Meaning: To prepare thoroughly for a challenge or competition.
In a Sentence: She sharpened her teeth for the debate, researching every possible argument.
Other Ways to Say: Get ready, Hone your skills
28. Teeth on fire
Meaning: Feeling intense pain or sensitivity in the teeth.
In a Sentence: After eating the ice cream, his teeth were on fire from the cold sensitivity.
Other Ways to Say: Tooth pain, Sensitive teeth
29. Lose your teeth
Meaning: To lose credibility or effectiveness due to age or overuse.
In a Sentence: The old marketing strategy has lost its teeth and needs a fresh approach.
Other Ways to Say: Lose impact, Become outdated
30. Have teeth
Meaning: To have power or effectiveness.
In a Sentence: The new school policy has teeth, ensuring everyone follows the rules strictly.
Other Ways to Say: Have authority, Carry weight
31. Clench your teeth
Meaning: To brace yourself for something difficult or unpleasant.
In a Sentence: She clenched her teeth and walked into the principal’s office to face the consequences.
Other Ways to Say: Brace yourself, Steel yourself
32. Grind your teeth
Meaning: To be extremely annoyed or stressed, often involuntarily grinding teeth.
In a Sentence: He was grinding his teeth in frustration during the endless meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Seethe, Fume
33. Flash your teeth
Meaning: To smile broadly or show off confidently.
In a Sentence: She flashed her teeth in a confident smile during her presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Show off your smile, Grin widely
34. Get your teeth knocked out
Meaning: To face a severe setback or defeat.
In a Sentence: The team got their teeth knocked out in the playoffs, losing by a huge margin.
Other Ways to Say: Get crushed, Take a beating
35. Keep your teeth clean
Meaning: To maintain honesty and integrity.
In a Sentence: She always keeps her teeth clean, never getting involved in gossip or lies.
Other Ways to Say: Stay honest, Act with integrity
36. Teeth in the wind
Meaning: To face a situation bravely despite risks.
In a Sentence: He put his teeth in the wind and spoke up against the unfair decision.
Other Ways to Say: Face the challenge, Stand firm
37. Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: To harm someone who helps or supports you.
In a Sentence: Criticizing the coach was like biting the hand that feeds you after all his support.
Other Ways to Say: Betray a supporter, Turn on a helper
38. Show your true teeth
Meaning: To reveal your real intentions or character.
In a Sentence: He showed his true teeth when he took credit for the group’s hard work.
Other Ways to Say: Reveal your true colors, Show your real self
39. Teeth to the grindstone
Meaning: To work hard and diligently.
In a Sentence: With exams approaching, she put her teeth to the grindstone and studied every night.
Other Ways to Say: Nose to the grindstone, Work tirelessly
40. Buckteeth and bravery
Meaning: Courage despite physical or perceived flaws.
In a Sentence: With buckteeth and bravery, she confidently led the school talent show.
Other Ways to Say: Courage despite flaws, Boldness
41. Teeth of the storm
Meaning: The most intense or challenging part of a situation.
In a Sentence: We were in the teeth of the storm during the project deadline, working non-stop.
Other Ways to Say: Heart of the challenge, Toughest part
42. Chew the fat
Meaning: To have a long, casual conversation.
In a Sentence: We sat on the porch chewing the fat about our plans for the summer.
Other Ways to Say: Chat casually, Talk leisurely
43. Toothless tiger
Meaning: Someone or something that seems threatening but is ineffective.
In a Sentence: The new rule sounded strict, but it was a toothless tiger with no enforcement.
Other Ways to Say: All bark and no bite, Powerless threat
44. Bite down hard
Meaning: To endure pain or difficulty with resolve.
In a Sentence: She bit down hard and finished the race despite her sprained ankle.
Other Ways to Say: Tough it out, Push through
45. Teeth of temptation
Meaning: Facing strong temptation or desire.
In a Sentence: In the teeth of temptation, she resisted the urge to skip her homework for a movie.
Other Ways to Say: Strong temptation, Facing desire
46. Hold your teeth
Meaning: To stay patient or restrain yourself.
In a Sentence: I had to hold my teeth and wait for my turn to speak at the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Stay patient, Keep calm
47. Teeth like a saw
Meaning: Having sharp or jagged teeth, often used humorously.
In a Sentence: His teeth were like a saw, but his smile was still charming in its own way.
Other Ways to Say: Jagged teeth, Rough smile
48. No teeth to it
Meaning: Lacking strength or substance.
In a Sentence: His argument had no teeth to it, so no one took it seriously.
Other Ways to Say: Weak argument, Lacking impact
49. Teeth bared and ready
Meaning: Prepared to confront or fight.
In a Sentence: With teeth bared and ready, she faced the challenge of the final debate round.
Other Ways to Say: Ready to fight, Geared up
50. Give someone the teeth
Meaning: To scold or criticize someone harshly.
In a Sentence: The teacher gave him the teeth for not completing his assignments on time.
Other Ways to Say: Chew out, Reprimand
51. Teeth of the matter
Meaning: The core or most critical part of an issue.
In a Sentence: Let’s get to the teeth of the matter and discuss why the project is delayed.
Other Ways to Say: Heart of the issue, Core problem
52. Teeth on the line
Meaning: To take a significant risk.
In a Sentence: She put her teeth on the line by investing all her savings in the startup.
Other Ways to Say: Take a big risk, Go all in
53. Bite your tongue
Meaning: To refrain from speaking or saying something inappropriate.
In a Sentence: I had to bite my tongue when she made that rude comment during class.
Other Ways to Say: Hold your tongue, Stay quiet
54. Teeth of adversity
Meaning: Facing tough challenges or hardships.
In a Sentence: In the teeth of adversity, he rebuilt his life after the financial setback.
Other Ways to Say: Facing hardship, Against all odds
55. Chew over something
Meaning: To think about or consider something carefully.
In a Sentence: I need to chew over the job offer before deciding if it’s right for me.
Other Ways to Say: Think it over, Ponder
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the correct idiom:
- She barely passed the audition, making it through _______ of her teeth.
- Starting his career, he _______ his teeth as a junior designer at a small firm.
- The sound of the alarm clock set my _______ on edge every morning.
- I decided to _______ my teeth into the new language course and learn Spanish fluently.
- Facing the tough crowd, she _______ her teeth and delivered a powerful speech.
- His excuse was so fake; he was clearly lying _______ his teeth.
- The team fought _______ and nail to secure the contract against their rivals.
- With a _______ tooth, she couldn’t resist grabbing another slice of cake.
- Losing the game was a _______ in the teeth, but they vowed to train harder.
- We were in the _______ of the storm during the chaotic school event.
- Her argument was a _______ tiger, sounding tough but lacking real impact.
- I had to _______ my tongue to avoid arguing with my stubborn friend.
Answers:
by the skin, cut, teeth, sink, bared, through, tooth, sweet, kick, teeth, toothless, bite
Conclusion
Teeth-related idioms bring a unique bite to our language, making conversations more vivid and expressive. These phrases, rooted in everyday experiences, help us describe challenges, emotions, and actions with creativity and humor. By mastering these 55 idioms, you can add a sparkling edge to your communication, whether you’re chatting with friends, writing a story, or tackling a presentation.
Practice using these idioms in real-life scenarios to make them a natural part of your vocabulary. From sinking your teeth into new projects to keeping your teeth clean in tough situations, these expressions will help you navigate life with confidence and flair. Language is a powerful tool, and idioms about teeth give it an extra shine—so keep smiling and start using them today!