Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the actual words inside them. People use them to make conversation more colorful and expressive. In this article, you will learn fifty handy idioms related to starting something new.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean beginning a task or journey. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Starting Something
1. Break the ice
Definition: To make people feel more comfortable when meeting for the first time.
Used in a Sentence: Leo told a funny joke to break the ice at the new club. / Playing a quick game helped break the ice before the group project.
Similar Expressions: Warm up / Ease the tension
2. Hit the ground running
Definition: To start a new project or job with great energy and speed.
Used in a Sentence: She read all the guides beforehand so she could hit the ground running. / The new team captain was ready to hit the ground running on day one.
Similar Expressions: Jump right in / Waste no time
3. Get the ball rolling
Definition: To start an activity or make something begin to happen.
Used in a Sentence: Max volunteered to get the ball rolling on the recycling drive. / Let us get the ball rolling by drawing a plan on the board.
Similar Expressions: Kick things off / Set things in motion
4. Jump the gun
Definition: To start doing something too soon before it is time.
Used in a Sentence: Sam started running before the whistle and jumped the gun. / Do not open your gifts early or you will jump the gun.
Similar Expressions: Act too soon / Rush ahead
5. Kick off
Definition: To officially begin an event or a game.
Used in a Sentence: The school band will kick off the parade with a lively song. / We plan to kick off the meeting at ten o’clock sharp.
Similar Expressions: Start up / Launch out
6. Set the stage
Definition: To prepare the conditions for something else to happen.
Used in a Sentence: Dark clouds outside set the stage for a heavy afternoon storm. / Good research will set the stage for a strong science project.
Similar Expressions: Lay the groundwork / Prepare the way
7. Turn over a new leaf
Definition: To start over and begin behaving in a better way.
Used in a Sentence: After forgetting his homework twice, Ben decided to turn over a new leaf. / She promised to turn over a new leaf and keep her room tidy.
Similar Expressions: Start fresh / Begin anew
8. Get off the ground
Definition: To start successfully after a period of planning.
Used in a Sentence: The bake sale needed more helpers to finally get off the ground. / Their new club took months of planning to get off the ground.
Similar Expressions: Take off / Launch successfully
9. Press the button
Definition: To trigger or start a process immediately.
Used in a Sentence: The manager had to press the button to launch the new website. / Once we get approval, we will press the button on production.
Similar Expressions: Initiate action / Trigger off
10. Open a can of worms
Definition: To start a situation that causes a lot of unexpected trouble.
Used in a Sentence: Asking about the missing toy opened a can of worms in the house. / Changing the rules now will just open a can of worms for everyone.
Similar Expressions: Stir up trouble / Cause complications
11. Lay the foundation
Definition: To provide the basic ideas or structure for a new project.
Used in a Sentence: Reading basic books helped lay the foundation for his science skills. / The architect helped lay the foundation for the new community center.
Similar Expressions: Build a base / Set the groundwork
12. Take the plunge
Definition: To finally start doing something difficult or brave after thinking about it.
Used in a Sentence: Maya finally took the plunge and joined the advanced art class. / It took courage to take the plunge and try out for the play.
Similar Expressions: Dive right in / Make the leap
13. Jump in with both feet
Definition: To start an activity with total commitment and enthusiasm.
Used in a Sentence: He decided to jump in with both feet and learn guitar. / Do not hesitate just jump in with both feet and try your best.
Similar Expressions: Dive headfirst / Go all in
14. Ring in
Definition: To celebrate or mark the beginning of a new period or event.
Used in a Sentence: The town gathered in the square to ring in the new year. / They rang in the spring season with an outdoor festival.
Similar Expressions: Usher in / Welcome in
15. Make a start
Definition: To begin doing something that needs to be done.
Used in a Sentence: We should make a start on our history project right now. / It is time to make a start if we want to finish before dark.
Similar Expressions: Get going / Begin work
16. Put your best foot forward
Definition: To start something with a good attitude and great effort.
Used in a Sentence: Put your best foot forward on your first day at the new school. / She tried to put her best foot forward during the dance audition.
Similar Expressions: Try your hardest / Give your best
17. Initiate proceedings
Definition: To officially start a formal event or legal action.
Used in a Sentence: The judge will initiate proceedings as soon as everyone is seated. / The club president had to initiate proceedings for the annual vote.
Similar Expressions: Open the floor / Commence action
18. Fire the starting gun
Definition: To give the signal for a race or project to begin.
Used in a Sentence: The coach raised his pistol to fire the starting gun for the track race. / The mayor will fire the starting gun on the charity marathon.
Similar Expressions: Give the signal / Sound the bell
19. Get the show on the road
Definition: To start an activity or journey that has been planned.
Used in a Sentence: Pack your bags and let us get the show on the road! / We have everything ready, so let us get the show on the road.
Similar Expressions: Get moving / Start things up
20. Plant the seed
Definition: To start an idea or plan that will grow later.
Used in a Sentence: Her teacher planted the seed of a great idea for her art project. / Reading that book helped plant the seed for his future career.
Similar Expressions: Spark an idea / Sow the thought
21. Set sail
Definition: To begin a journey on a boat or start a new adventure.
Used in a Sentence: The crew was excited to set sail across the calm blue sea. / They packed their bags to set sail on a new life adventure.
Similar Expressions: Embark outward / Voyage forth
22. Clear the decks
Definition: To get rid of distractions so you can start working.
Used in a Sentence: I need to clear the decks before I can study for my math test. / Clean your desk to clear the decks for your painting project.
Similar Expressions: Clear the way / Remove obstacles
23. Dawn of a new day
Definition: The very beginning of a fresh and hopeful period of time.
Used in a Sentence: Winning the science fair felt like the dawn of a new day. / Finding a supportive group felt like the dawn of a new day for her.
Similar Expressions: Fresh start / New beginning
24. Roll up your sleeves
Definition: To prepare yourself to start hard work or a big task.
Used in a Sentence: Roll up your sleeves and help us clean the community garden. / It is time to roll up our sleeves and finish this puzzle.
Similar Expressions: Brace for work / Get down to business
25. Open the ball
Definition: To be the very first person to start an activity or event.
Used in a Sentence: Our school band got to open the ball with a loud march. / She was chosen to open the ball at the charity dance.
Similar Expressions: Take the lead / Start things off
26. Strike up
Definition: To start playing music or begin a conversation suddenly.
Used in a Sentence: The band began to strike up a cheerful tune at the party. / He tried to strike up a friendly chat with the new student.
Similar Expressions: Spark up / Begin playing
27. Start the ball rolling
Definition: To cause an action or process to begin moving forward.
Used in a Sentence: Asking the first question helped start the ball rolling in class. / We need a volunteer to start the ball rolling on this project.
Similar Expressions: Kick off / Initiate action
28. Take off
Definition: To start moving fast or become successful very quickly.
Used in a Sentence: Their homemade lemonade stand business began to take off by noon. / The rocket will take off into space once the countdown ends.
Similar Expressions: Soar high / Gain traction
29. Get cracking
Definition: To start working or moving quickly without wasting time.
Used in a Sentence: We need to get cracking if we want to finish before sunset. / Get cracking on your chores so you can play outside later.
Similar Expressions: Hurry up / Get busy
30. Hit the road
Definition: To start a journey or leave a place to travel.
Used in a Sentence: Pack your snacks because we are ready to hit the road. / They woke up early to hit the road for vacation.
Similar Expressions: Set off / Head out
31. Launch into
Definition: To begin doing or speaking about something with great energy.
Used in a Sentence: He began to launch into a long story about his pet dog. / She prepared to launch into her piano solo with a big smile.
Similar Expressions: Dive into / Jump into
32. Open fire
Definition: To begin shooting or starting a rapid sequence of actions.
Used in a Sentence: In the game, players wait for the signal to open fire. / The reporters began to open fire with questions after the announcement.
Similar Expressions: Unleash questions / Start barrage
33. Strike the match
Definition: To create a spark that starts a fire or action.
Used in a Sentence: Be careful when you strike the match to light the campfire. / That speech helped strike the match for a community movement.
Similar Expressions: Spark a flame / Ignite interest
34. Get going
Definition: To begin moving, traveling, or doing a task.
Used in a Sentence: We should get going now so we do not miss the bus. / Let us get going on our science homework right after school.
Similar Expressions: Start moving / Get started
35. Make tracks
Definition: To start leaving a place or hurry to a new destination.
Used in a Sentence: It is getting late, so we need to make tracks. / Make tracks if you want to catch the beginning of the movie.
Similar Expressions: Hurry along / Head away
36. Break ground
Definition: To start digging for a new building or begin a novel project.
Used in a Sentence: The city will break ground on the new library next Monday. / Scientists will break ground on a new wildlife study this spring.
Similar Expressions: Start construction / Pioneer a project
37. Get down to business
Definition: To start focusing on serious work after chatting.
Used in a Sentence: After eating snacks, the study group got down to business. / Let us stop playing games and get down to business.
Similar Expressions: Focus up / Start working
38. Raise the curtain
Definition: To start a theatrical play or a major public event.
Used in a Sentence: The stage crew waited for the cue to raise the curtain. / This festival will raise the curtain on a summer of fun.
Similar Expressions: Open the show / Start the performance
39. Set the wheels in motion
Definition: To start a series of actions that will lead to a result.
Used in a Sentence: Signing the papers set the wheels in motion for the club trip. / Making the phone call set the wheels in motion for the rescue.
Similar Expressions: Start the process / Trigger events
40. Fire up
Definition: To start an engine or get excited about an activity.
Used in a Sentence: Dad had to fire up the lawnmower to cut the grass. / The coach gave a speech to fire up the basketball team.
Similar Expressions: Power up / Energize yourself
41. Leap in
Definition: To start participating in something eagerly and without fear.
Used in a Sentence: Do not be afraid to leap in and try the new game. / She decided to leap in and help decorate the gymnasium.
Similar Expressions: Dive in / Jump right in
42. Get the show started
Definition: To begin a performance or an organized event.
Used in a Sentence: Turn off your phones and let us get the show started. / The host stepped onto the stage to get the show started.
Similar Expressions: Begin the event / Kick off
43. Embark on
Definition: To start a new and important journey or project.
Used in a Sentence: They are ready to embark on a big camping adventure. / She will embark on a journey to learn three new languages.
Similar Expressions: Set out / Begin a quest
44. Set off
Definition: To start a journey or trigger an alarm device.
Used in a Sentence: We will set off for the mountains early in the morning. / Burning the toast might set off the kitchen smoke detector.
Similar Expressions: Depart / Trigger off
45. Opening salvo
Definition: The first act or statement in a planned series of actions.
Used in a Sentence: His first question was just the opening salvo of the debate. / The initial advertisement was the company opening salvo.
Similar Expressions: First strike / Initial move
46. Hit the button
Definition: To press a switch to start a machine or process.
Used in a Sentence: Hit the button on the wall to turn on the lights. / He stepped forward to hit the button and start the machine.
Similar Expressions: Press start / Turn on
47. Take your first steps
Definition: To begin doing something new in a careful way.
Used in a Sentence: Taking your first steps in coding can be fun and easy. / The puppy was just taking its first steps outside.
Similar Expressions: Begin slowly / Start out
48. Start from scratch
Definition: To begin a project or task completely from the beginning.
Used in a Sentence: When the drawing ripped, she had to start from scratch. / If the recipe fails, we will start from scratch.
Similar Expressions: Begin anew / Start over
49. Get your feet wet
Definition: To try something new for the first time to gain experience.
Used in a Sentence: Volunteering is a great way to get your feet wet in a career. / Try a small painting project to get your feet wet.
Similar Expressions: Test the waters / Try it out
50. Dawn on
Definition: To begin to understand something clearly for the first time.
Used in a Sentence: It began to dawn on him why the math problem was tricky. / The answer finally started to dawn on her during the quiz.
Similar Expressions: Become clear / Realize slowly
Exercise to Practice
- When Lily told a funny joke to the new club members, she tried to break the ice.
- Max wanted to wait until the very last second, so he decided to jump the gun and start early.
- Our school band always likes to kick off the spring parade with a loud song.
- Ben forgot his homework, so he decided to turn over a new leaf and be more careful.
- Opening a can of worms means you are baking a delicious batch of cookies for your friends.
- Maya finally took the plunge and joined the advanced art class after thinking about it for weeks.
- To ring in the new year, people usually sleep quietly in a dark room all night.
- We need to roll up our sleeves and get cracking if we want to finish cleaning before dark.
- Setting sail means you are parking your car inside a crowded garage.
- The city will break ground on the brand-new library building next Monday.
- When the drawing ripped, she had to start from scratch with a brand new paper.
- Getting your feet wet means you are jumping into a deep swimming pool with your winter boots on.
- Dad had to fire up the lawnmower so we could cut the tall grass in the yard.
- Setting the wheels in motion means you are painting bicycle wheels bright pink.
- Getting down to business means you finally start focusing on your schoolwork after playing.
Answer Key
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about starting something makes reading and speaking English much more fun and colorful. These expressions help you describe new adventures and beginnings in creative ways.
Try using one or two of these new phrases the next time you begin a school project or start a game with your friends. You will sound like an expert English speaker in no time!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for starting something?
Some common choices include breaking the ice, getting the ball rolling, and hitting the ground running. People use these expressions every day in conversations, stories, and school projects.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language much more colorful, interesting, and descriptive than using plain words. They help us share big ideas and feelings in a short, fun phrase.
How can I remember these idioms easily?
The best way to remember them is to use them in sentences when you talk or write. Matching them to real-life situations like starting a game or a project also helps a lot.
Can I use these idioms in formal writing?
Most idioms are best used in casual conversation, stories, and friendly letters rather than strict school reports. It is always good to check if a phrase fits your audience before using it.
Are idioms the same as similes?
No, idioms have a special hidden meaning that is different from their literal words. Similes compare two different things directly using the words like or as.
