29 Idioms for Job

Jobs are a significant part of our lives, and there are many ways we talk about them. From the daily grind to the hustle, idioms help convey the variety of experiences and emotions related to work. These idiomatic expressions are not only useful for discussing job roles but also for describing the tasks, challenges, and dynamics that come with them.

In this article, you’ll discover 29 idioms for job, each illustrating a different facet of work, from hard labor to career advancement, and from the stress of deadlines to job satisfaction.

1. The Daily Grind

Meaning: The routine, often monotonous, work that you do every day.
In a Sentence:

• After a long weekend, it’s time to get back to the daily grind.
• He’s tired of the daily grind and dreams of taking a sabbatical.
  Other Ways to Say: Routine, everyday work, mundane tasks

2. Bring Home the Bacon

Meaning: To earn money, especially by working hard to provide for oneself or others.
In a Sentence:

• She’s been working overtime to bring home the bacon for her family.
• He’s the one who brings home the bacon while his partner takes care of the kids.
  Other Ways to Say: Earn a living, make money, provide for the family

3. Climbing the Corporate Ladder

Meaning: To advance in one’s career or move up in a company.
In a Sentence:

• He’s been climbing the corporate ladder for years and is now a senior manager.
• After several promotions, she’s finally reached the top of the corporate ladder.
  Other Ways to Say: Career advancement, moving up in the world, career progression

4. Get Down to Business

Meaning: To begin focusing on the important or serious tasks at hand.
In a Sentence:

• Let’s stop chatting and get down to business—we have a lot to cover.
• After the introductions, it was time to get down to business and start the project.
  Other Ways to Say: Focus on the task, start working, get serious

5. On the Clock

Meaning: The time when you are officially working or being paid for your time at work.
In a Sentence:

• He’s on the clock now, so he can’t take a break just yet.
• While you’re on the clock, you should focus on your tasks.
  Other Ways to Say: Working, during work hours, on duty

6. Burning the Midnight Oil

Meaning: To work late into the night, often to meet a deadline or finish a task.
In a Sentence:

• She’s been burning the midnight oil trying to finish the report before the morning meeting.
• I had to burn the midnight oil to get the presentation ready for the client.
  Other Ways to Say: Working late, staying up late, working overtime

7. Call It a Day

Meaning: To stop working for the day or to conclude a task or activity.
In a Sentence:

• After a long day, we decided to call it a day and head home.
• We were exhausted, so we called it a day and left the office early.
  Other Ways to Say: Finish work, stop for the day, wrap up

8. In the Driver’s Seat

Meaning: To be in control of a situation or have the authority to make decisions.
In a Sentence:

• Now that he’s the team leader, he’s in the driver’s seat and makes all the important decisions.
• She’s in the driver’s seat of the project and has full control over how things proceed.
  Other Ways to Say: In control, in charge, calling the shots

9. A Foot in the Door

Meaning: To get an initial opportunity or entry into a company or industry, often with the potential for future success.
In a Sentence:

• He got a foot in the door with the internship, and now he’s working full-time at the company.
• The job interview was his foot in the door, and he’s hoping to get the position.
  Other Ways to Say: Initial opportunity, entry point, starting place

10. Go the Extra Mile

Meaning: To put in more effort than is expected or required, going above and beyond.
In a Sentence:

• She always goes the extra mile to make sure her clients are satisfied.
• They really went the extra mile to make the event a success.
  Other Ways to Say: Exceed expectations, put in extra effort, do more than required

11. Jump Through Hoops

Meaning: To go through a lot of effort, obstacles, or difficulties in order to accomplish something.
In a Sentence:

• He had to jump through hoops to get his project approved by the board.
• She had to jump through hoops just to get an interview at that prestigious company.
  Other Ways to Say: Overcome obstacles, go through challenges, endure difficulties

12. Get Your Foot in the Door

Meaning: To start at a low level in a career or company, with the hope of advancing later.
In a Sentence:

• By taking an entry-level job, she was able to get her foot in the door of the marketing industry.
• He started as an intern, but now he’s looking to get his foot in the door of the company’s management team.
  Other Ways to Say: Start a career, gain entry, get an initial opportunity

13. On the Same Page

Meaning: To have the same understanding or opinion about something, especially in a group or team setting.
In a Sentence:

• Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page before we start the project.
• We had to meet to get on the same page regarding the project’s goals.
  Other Ways to Say: In agreement, aligned, in consensus

14. Behind the Scenes

Meaning: To work or operate in a way that is not visible or noticed by the public, often in a supportive role.
In a Sentence:

• The event was a success thanks to all the hard work done behind the scenes.
• She prefers to work behind the scenes, helping others without drawing attention to herself.
  Other Ways to Say: In the background, out of sight, in private

15. Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone

Meaning: To work hard and focus on your tasks without getting distracted.
In a Sentence:

• If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you’ll finish the project ahead of schedule.
• He’s been keeping his nose to the grindstone, working long hours to meet the deadline.
  Other Ways to Say: Stay focused, work hard, be diligent

16. Put Your Nose to the Grindstone

Meaning: To work hard, focusing on the task at hand.
In a Sentence:

• If you put your nose to the grindstone, you’ll finish the project in no time.
• He’s been putting his nose to the grindstone for hours to meet the deadline.
  Other Ways to Say: Work hard, stay focused, concentrate

17. A Day’s Work

Meaning: A task or job that has been completed in a day, usually implying that it was a reasonable or normal amount of work.
In a Sentence:

• After finishing the report, I felt it was a job well done and called it a day’s work.
• That’s a good day’s work; we’ve accomplished everything we set out to do.
  Other Ways to Say: A productive day, a full day’s work, a day well spent

18. In the Pipeline

Meaning: Something that is in development or preparation, but not yet completed.
In a Sentence:

• The new product is still in the pipeline, but we expect it to be ready for launch next month.
• We have several projects in the pipeline, and they’re all moving forward.
  Other Ways to Say: In progress, in development, coming soon

19. Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Meaning: To work long hours, especially when it is exhausting or unsustainable.
In a Sentence:

• She’s been burning the candle at both ends, staying up late and waking up early for work.
• He’s been burning the candle at both ends for weeks, and it’s taking a toll on his health.
  Other Ways to Say: Overworking, exhausting oneself, working overtime

20. Hit the Ground Running

Meaning: To begin a task or project quickly and with full energy, without hesitation or delay.
In a Sentence:

• She hit the ground running on her first day at the new job and impressed everyone.
• We need to hit the ground running if we want to meet this deadline.
  Other Ways to Say: Start strong, get going quickly, be proactive

21. Under the Table

Meaning: To do something secretly or illegally, often referring to payment or deals.
In a Sentence:

• They offered him a bonus under the table to keep quiet about the issue.
• The company was caught making payments under the table to avoid taxes.
  Other Ways to Say: Secretly, illegally, underhanded

22. In the Works

Meaning: Something that is currently being planned, developed, or prepared.
In a Sentence:

• The new marketing strategy is in the works, and we’re finalizing the details.
• There’s a new policy in the works that will affect all employees next month.
  Other Ways to Say: In progress, being developed, being prepared

23. At the End of One’s Rope

Meaning: To be completely exhausted or out of resources, patience, or ideas.
In a Sentence:

• After working nonstop for weeks, I’m at the end of my rope and need a break.
• She was at the end of her rope, juggling multiple tasks and meeting tight deadlines.
  Other Ways to Say: Exhausted, out of options, at one’s limit

24. A Dead End Job

Meaning: A job with no prospects for advancement or growth.
In a Sentence:

• He realized his position was a dead end job, so he started looking for new opportunities.
• Working in that department felt like a dead end job, with no chance for promotion.
  Other Ways to Say: Stagnant job, no career growth, unfulfilling job

25. The Ball is in Your Court

Meaning: To be in a position where it is your responsibility to make the next move or decision.
In a Sentence:

• I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court to decide what to do next.
• After the proposal was accepted, the ball was in his court to finalize the details.
  Other Ways to Say: Your move, your responsibility, your decision

26. Get the Show on the Road

Meaning: To begin or start a project, task, or event.
In a Sentence:

• We’ve had enough planning; it’s time to get the show on the road and start the project.
• The team is ready, so let’s get the show on the road and tackle the task.
  Other Ways to Say: Begin, start, get moving

27. Call the Shots

Meaning: To make decisions or control a situation.
In a Sentence:

• As the team leader, he calls the shots and decides how the project will move forward.
• She’s the one who calls the shots in the office, and everyone follows her lead.
  Other Ways to Say: Be in charge, make the decisions, have control

28. Pull Your Weight

Meaning: To do your fair share of work, especially as part of a team.
In a Sentence:

• Everyone needs to pull their weight in this project if we want to meet the deadline.
• He’s been slacking off, and the team is noticing that he’s not pulling his weight.
  Other Ways to Say: Contribute, do your part, take responsibility

29. In the Driver’s Seat

Meaning: To be in control or in a position of power regarding a situation or decision.
In a Sentence:

• Now that she’s promoted to manager, she’s in the driver’s seat and calls the shots.
• He’s in the driver’s seat of the project, making all the key decisions.
  Other Ways to Say: In control, in charge, leading the way

Fill in the blanks:

1. After a long day of work, I’m ready to ___________ and rest.
2. She’s been working non-stop, ___________ to meet the deadline.
3. I had to ___________ in order to get the necessary approvals for the project.
4. The manager is always ___________ when it comes to making important decisions.
5. They finally ___________ with their new marketing strategy, which has been in development for months.
6. After months of preparation, we’re now ready to ___________ and start the campaign.
7. He’s been ___________ since he got the new promotion and is now responsible for making major decisions.
8. I was able to ___________ and get my foot in the door with this internship.
9. If you want to succeed, you need to ___________ and do everything you can to stand out.
10. We’ve been ___________ with the new software rollout, trying to fix all the bugs.
11. He worked hard to ___________ and is now the department head.
12. The company was struggling with excessive stock, so they decided to hold a ___________ to clear out everything.
13. The project is ___________ and will be ready in the next few months.
14. She’s been ___________ for weeks and is feeling completely overwhelmed.
15. I was stuck in a ___________ for years before finally switching companies for more growth opportunities.
16. The client needs more time to review the proposal—now the ___________ to make a decision is up to them.
17. The team worked hard to ___________ and get the report submitted before the deadline.
18. He’s been making great progress, but he needs to stop ___________ and focus on the task at hand.
19. The new recruit has been helpful, but he needs to ___________ and contribute more to the team.
20. The CEO is always the one to ___________ and make the final decision.
21. I had to ___________ to finish the report in time for the meeting.
22. We were able to ___________ despite the challenges, and the new product is now on the market.
23. The project went smoothly ___________ with all the behind-the-scenes work from the support team.
24. She’s exhausted from working long hours; it’s time to ___________ and take a break.
25. The deadline for the project is approaching, and we need to ___________ and finalize everything.
26. She feels like she’s ___________ because she’s not getting any recognition for her hard work.
27. After quitting that company, I realized I was ___________ and couldn’t go back to the same work environment.
28. I had to ___________ to make sure we hit our target for the quarter.
29. The project is a success; it’s been a great ___________ and worth the effort.

Answer Key

1. g) Call It a Day
2. f) Burning the Midnight Oil
3. k) Jump Through Hoops
4. h) In the Driver’s Seat
5. p) In the Pipeline
6. x) Get the Show on the Road
7. h) In the Driver’s Seat
8. i) A Foot in the Door
9. j) Go the Extra Mile
10. t) In the Works
11. c) Climbing the Corporate Ladder
12. q) Fire Sale
13. t) In the Works
14. u) At the End of One’s Rope
15. v) A Dead End Job
16. w) The Ball is in Your Court
17. n) Keep Your Nose to the Grindstone
18. r) Playing with Fire
19. z) Pull Your Weight
20. y) Call the Shots
21. f) Burning the Midnight Oil
22. v) A Dead End Job
23. m) Behind the Scenes
24. g) Call It a Day
25. x) Get the Show on the Road
26. bb) Burning Bridges
27. u) At the End of One’s Rope
28. z) Pull Your Weight
29. o) A Day’s Work

Conclusion

Jobs and work-related experiences are an integral part of our lives, and the 29 idioms for job discussed in this article give you creative and colorful ways to describe various aspects of professional life. From dealing with the “daily grind” to “climbing the corporate ladder,” these idiomatic expressions help us capture everything from the mundane to the exciting, and from the challenges to the rewards of work.

By using these idioms, you can enrich your communication, making it more vivid and expressive when talking about work, career development, teamwork, or the struggles we face in the professional world. Whether you’re talking about staying late to “burn the midnight oil” or being “in the driver’s seat” of a project, these idioms will help you convey your thoughts more effectively.

Next time you’re discussing a job, work situation, or career goal, try using one of these idioms to make your conversation more engaging and insightful.