200+ Common Clichés in English

Below is a comprehensive list of 200+ common English clichés, organised by category. Use our Cliché Finder to automatically detect these in your writing.

Everyday Life Clichés

At the end of the day
It is what it is
Everything happens for a reason
Better late than never
Time flies when you're having fun
Live and learn
Easier said than done
The grass is always greener
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade
Don't judge a book by its cover
Actions speak louder than words
Practice makes perfect
You can't have your cake and eat it too
Every cloud has a silver lining
Good things come to those who wait
No pain, no gain
Time heals all wounds
What goes around comes around
The early bird catches the worm
Two wrongs don't make a right

Business and Work Clichés

Think outside the box
Move the needle
Low-hanging fruit
Push the envelope
Circle back
Synergy
Take it to the next level
Win-win situation
At the end of the day (business context)
Give 110 per cent
Game changer
Paradigm shift
Going forward
Deep dive
Touch base
On the same page
Bring to the table
Best practice
Run it up the flagpole
Boil the ocean

Emotions and Relationships

Head over heels
Wear your heart on your sleeve
A shoulder to cry on
Scared to death
Over the moon
On top of the world
Green with envy
Blinded by love
Heartbroken
Laughter is the best medicine
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Love is blind
Birds of a feather flock together
Blood is thicker than water
Opposites attract

Difficulty and Challenge

Between a rock and a hard place
Bite the bullet
Burning the midnight oil
In hot water
Up a creek without a paddle
Needle in a haystack
Uphill battle
When it rains, it pours
The straw that broke the camel's back
Back to the drawing board
Back to square one
Hit a brick wall
Caught between a rock and a hard place
Out of the frying pan, into the fire

Communication Clichés

Let the cat out of the bag
Read between the lines
Speak of the devil
Beat around the bush
Straight from the horse's mouth
A picture is worth a thousand words
Talk the talk, walk the walk
Put your money where your mouth is
The writing on the wall
Don't shoot the messenger

Success and Achievement

Hit the nail on the head
Knock it out of the park
Go the extra mile
Hit the ground running
Break a leg
Ace in the hole
Piece of cake
Easy as pie
Kill two birds with one stone
The best of both worlds
Rome wasn't built in a day

Filler Clichés (Padding Phrases)

It goes without saying
Needless to say
In my opinion
As a matter of fact
At the present time
In this day and age
First and foremost
Each and every
Last but not least
For all intents and purposes
When all is said and done
At this point in time
It should be noted that
With all due respect

How to Use This List

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common cliché in English?

While hard to measure precisely, 'at the end of the day', 'it is what it is', and 'think outside the box' are consistently rated among the most overused phrases in English.

Where did the word 'cliché' come from?

The word comes from French printing terminology. A 'cliché' was a printing plate used to reproduce the same text repeatedly — fitting, since clichés are phrases that have been reproduced too many times.