50 Idioms About Teeth Sink Your Teeth In

Think about your teeth – they’re not just for eating! In English, these pearly whites have inspired a surprising number of vivid phrases.

Idioms about teeth add a sharp edge to our conversations, describing everything from biting into a challenge to a close call. Let’s dig into these common expressions and see how they make our everyday talk much more memorable!

Idioms about Teeth

1. By the skin of your teeth

Meaning: Just barely succeeding or escaping a difficult situation.

In a Sentence: He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth, getting just enough points. They escaped the burning building by the skin of their teeth.

Other Ways to Say: Narrowly, Just in time, Barely, Close call

2. Tooth and nail

Meaning: With great effort and determination, often involving fierce fighting or struggle.

In a Sentence: She fought tooth and nail to keep her small business afloat during the pandemic. The lawyers prepared to defend their client tooth and nail.

Other Ways to Say: Fiercely, Vigorously, With all might, Stubbornly

3. Long in the tooth

Meaning: Old or elderly.

In a Sentence: The car was getting a bit long in the tooth, so they decided to buy a new one. He’s getting a bit long in the tooth for these intense physical challenges.

Other Ways to Say: Old, Aged, Elderly, Past one’s prime

4. Cut your teeth

Meaning: To gain your first experience in a particular activity or profession.

In a Sentence: She cut her teeth in journalism working for a small local newspaper. Many famous actors cut their teeth in obscure theater productions.

Other Ways to Say: Gain initial experience, Start out, Learn the ropes, Get started

5. Sweet tooth

Meaning: A strong liking or craving for sweet foods.

In a Sentence: He can never resist dessert; he definitely has a sweet tooth. My grandmother, despite her age, still has an incredibly strong sweet tooth.

Other Ways to Say: Love of sweets, Craving for sugar, Fondness for candy

6. Armed to the teeth

Meaning: Heavily armed with many weapons; fully prepared or equipped for a task.

In a Sentence: The security guards were armed to the teeth for the high-profile event. The legal team was armed to the teeth with evidence for the trial.

Other Ways to Say: Heavily armed, Fully equipped, Prepared, Ready for anything

7. Sink your teeth into

Meaning: To get deeply involved in something challenging or interesting.

In a Sentence: After weeks of easy tasks, she was eager to sink her teeth into a complex new project. He loves a good mystery novel, and he can really sink his teeth into.

Other Ways to Say: Get stuck into, Dive into, Tackle, Engage with

8. To have teeth

Meaning: To have power, authority, or effectiveness; to be able to enforce something.

In a Sentence: The new regulations sound good, but do they have teeth? Without proper enforcement, the policy won’t have teeth.

Other Ways to Say: Have power, Have authority, Be effective, Have enforcement power

9. (As) scarce as hens’ teeth

Meaning: Extremely rare or non-existent.

In a Sentence: Genuine antique furniture in perfect condition is as scarce as hens’ teeth these days. Reliable public transport in this rural area is as scarce as hens’ teeth.

Other Ways to Say: Very rare, Extremely rare, Hard to find, Uncommon

10. Lie through your teeth

Meaning: To lie boldly and shamelessly.

In a Sentence: He wasn’t just exaggerating; he was lying through his teeth about his qualifications. I could tell she was lying through her teeth when she claimed she knew nothing about it.

Other Ways to Say: Lie brazenly, Fabricate, Deceive, Be dishonest

11. Like pulling teeth

Meaning: Extremely difficult to extract information or cooperation from someone.

In a Sentence: Getting him to talk about his feelings is like pulling teeth. Getting the children to clean their rooms was like pulling teeth every weekend.

Other Ways to Say: Very difficult, Arduous, Tiring, Challenging

12. (As) rare as hens’ teeth

Meaning: Extremely rare or non-existent (same as ‘scarce as hens’ teeth’).

In a Sentence: An honest politician in this town is as rare as hens’ teeth. Finding a vacant parking spot here on a Saturday is as rare as hens’ teeth.

Other Ways to Say: Very rare, Extremely rare, Hard to find, Uncommon

13. Eye tooth

Meaning: (Literally) A canine tooth, often used in the idiom “give your eye teeth.”

In a Sentence: (Used in context of other idioms, e.g., “I’d give my eye teeth for a day off.”) She had a small chip on her eye tooth after the accident.

Other Ways to Say: Canine tooth, Cuspid

14. Kick in the teeth

Meaning: A harsh or disappointing setback; a severe blow.

In a Sentence: Losing the championship after leading all season was a real kick in the teeth. Being denied the promotion was a kick in the teeth after all her hard work.

Other Ways to Say: Setback, Disappointment, Blow, Letdown

15. Set teeth on edge

Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone intensely; to cause a strong feeling of discomfort.

In a Sentence: The screeching sound of chalk on a blackboard always sets my teeth on edge. His constant complaining really sets my teeth on edge.

Other Ways to Say: Annoy, Irritate, Grate on, Vex

Related Post: 50 Idioms for Heart That Speak from Within

16. Bare your teeth

Meaning: To show aggression or anger, often by pulling back the lips to expose teeth.

In a Sentence: The dog began to bare its teeth, warning the stranger to keep away. The boss bared his teeth when the employees questioned his authority.

Other Ways to Say: Show aggression, Snarl, Threaten, Growl

17. Bite your tongue

Meaning: To refrain from speaking, especially when you want to say something negative or critical.

In a Sentence: I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling him what I really thought. She bit her tongue rather than argue with her difficult client.

Other Ways to Say: Hold your tongue, Keep quiet, Stay silent, Resist speaking

18. Fine-tooth comb

Meaning: To examine something very closely and thoroughly.

In a Sentence: The detective went over the crime scene with a fine-tooth comb, looking for clues. They checked the contract with a fine-tooth comb for any hidden clauses.

Other Ways to Say: Meticulously, Thoroughly, Carefully, Scrutinize

19. Grit your teeth

Meaning: To clench your teeth tightly, often to show determination, anger, or to endure pain.

In a Sentence: He had to grit his teeth and push through the pain to finish the race. She gritted her teeth in frustration as the computer crashed again.

Other Ways to Say: Endure, Persevere, Bear it, Tough it out

20. Teething problems

Meaning: Initial problems that occur in the early stages of a new project, system, or relationship.

In a Sentence: The new software has a few teething problems, but they’re working to fix them. Every new business experiences some teething problems in its first year.

Other Ways to Say: Initial difficulties, Growing pains, Early glitches, Startup issues

21. Fed to the teeth

Meaning: Extremely annoyed or frustrated with something. (Less common variation of ‘fed up to the teeth’)

In a Sentence: I’m fed to the teeth with all this bureaucracy. He was fed to the teeth with their constant excuses.

Other Ways to Say: Fed up, Sick of, Tired of, Annoyed

22. Gnash your teeth

Meaning: To grind your teeth together in anger, frustration, or agony.

In a Sentence: He would gnash his teeth in fury whenever his plans were thwarted. The losing team could only gnash their teeth as their rivals celebrated.

Other Ways to Say: Grind teeth, Fume, Rage, Show extreme anger

23. Teeth chattering

Meaning: When your teeth knock together, usually from cold or fear.

In a Sentence: His teeth were chattering uncontrollably as he stood in the freezing snow. She was so scared that her teeth were chattering even before the movie started.

Other Ways to Say: Shivering, Trembling with cold/fear

24. Chewing the fat

Meaning: To chat or talk informally for a long time.

In a Sentence: We spent the entire afternoon just chewing the fat and catching up. They met for coffee every week to chew the fat about their lives.

Other Ways to Say: Chat, Gab, Converse, Gossip (informal)

25. Clean as a whistle

Meaning: Extremely clean; also, done perfectly and without error, or completely innocent.

In a Sentence: After the spring cleaning, the house was as clean as a whistle. He handled the complex negotiation clean as a whistle. The detective found the suspect’s record was as clean as a whistle.

Other Ways to Say: Spotless, Immaculate, Flawless, Innocent

26. Show your teeth

Meaning: To reveal your power, anger, or determination; to be assertive or aggressive.

In a Sentence: It was time for the manager to show his teeth and take control of the unruly team. The small nation had to show its teeth to deter larger aggressors.

Other Ways to Say: Be assertive, Be aggressive, Display power, Stand up for oneself

27. Get your teeth into

Meaning: To put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into something; to become deeply involved.

In a Sentence: She was looking for a challenging project she could really get her teeth into. Once he gets his teeth into a problem, he won’t stop until it’s solved.

Other Ways to Say: Dive into, Tackle with vigor, Become engrossed in, Engage fully with

28. Teeth on edge

Meaning: Annoyed or irritated, often by a harsh sound or unpleasant sensation.

In a Sentence: The constant drilling from the construction site had my teeth on edge all day. Her high-pitched voice always sets my teeth on edge.

Other Ways to Say: Irritated, Annoyed, Unnerved, Grating

29. False teeth

Meaning: Dentures; artificial teeth.

In a Sentence: My grandfather has to take out his false teeth before he goes to bed. She lost her false teeth at the picnic and couldn’t find them anywhere.

Other Ways to Say: Dentures, Prosthetic teeth

30. Take the bit between your teeth

Meaning: To take control and act decisively and independently.

In a Sentence: After weeks of hesitation, she finally took the bit between her teeth and launched her own business. He decided to take the bit between his teeth and finish the report himself.

Other Ways to Say: Take charge, Take the initiative, Be decisive, Take control

31. Teeth bared

Meaning: Showing aggression or anger, with lips pulled back to expose teeth (similar to ‘bare your teeth’).

In a Sentence: The guard dog approached with its teeth bared, ready to defend the property. The politician responded to the attack with his teeth bared.

Other Ways to Say: Aggressive, Threatening, Furious, Hostile

32. Grin and bear it

Meaning: To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining.

In a Sentence: There was nothing they could do about the delay, so they just had to grin and bear it. Sometimes in life, you just have to grin and bear it until things get better.

Other Ways to Say: Endure, Suffer in silence, Tolerate, Put up with

33. Toothless

Meaning: Lacking power, effectiveness, or the ability to enforce something.

In a Sentence: The new regulations are completely toothless without proper oversight. A promise without action is often toothless.

Other Ways to Say: Powerless, Ineffective, Weak, Useless

34. A tooth for a tooth

Meaning: Retaliation in which a punishment equals the offense; an eye for an eye.

In a Sentence: Some believe in a system of justice based on a tooth for a tooth. Their conflict escalated as each side demanded a tooth for a tooth.

Other Ways to Say: Retaliation, Vengeance, Tit-for-tat, Lex talionis

35. Teeth marks

Meaning: Indentations or impressions made by teeth.

In a Sentence: There were clear teeth marks on the apple where he had bitten into it. The dog left teeth marks all over the new chew toy.

Other Ways to Say: Bite marks, Indentations from teeth

Related Post: 50 Idioms for Hair with Style and Sass

36. White as a sheet

Meaning: Extremely pale, usually from fear, shock, or illness.

In a Sentence: When she heard the bad news, her face went white as a sheet. After seeing the ghost, he was as white as a sheet.

Other Ways to Say: Pale, Ashen, Bloodless, Drained of color

37. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To accept a difficult situation and face it bravely. (Repeated from previous list, but keeping it for consistency as it’s numbered 37 here).

In a Sentence: He had to bite the bullet and work extra hours to meet the deadline. Despite the financial strain, they decided to bite the bullet and invest in their future.

Other Ways to Say: Face the music, Grin and bear it, Steel oneself, Endure, Persevere

38. Tooth fairy

Meaning: A mythical fairy who gives children money or gifts in exchange for a lost baby tooth.

In a Sentence: My daughter was so excited when the tooth fairy left her a dollar under her pillow. He pretended to believe in the tooth fairy for his little sister’s sake.

Other Ways to Say: (No direct synonyms, as it’s a specific cultural figure)

39. Set your jaw

Meaning: To clench your jaw tightly, showing determination or resolve.

In a Sentence: He set his jaw and prepared for the difficult conversation ahead. She set her jaw, determined not to give up despite the obstacles.

Other Ways to Say: Be resolute, Show determination, Brace oneself, Firm one’s resolve

40. Teeth clenched

Meaning: With teeth pressed tightly together, often due to anger, tension, or pain.

In a Sentence: He listened to the criticism with his teeth clenched, trying to control his anger. Her teeth clenched from the pain of the injury.

Other Ways to Say: Jaw tight, Gritted teeth, Tense jaw

41. Toothache

Meaning: Pain in a tooth or teeth.

In a Sentence: He couldn’t sleep all night because of a terrible toothache. She had to go to the dentist to get her toothache checked out.

Other Ways to Say: Dental pain, Odontalgia

42. Bright as a new penny

Meaning: Very bright, shiny, and new-looking; often used to describe a person who is very intelligent and alert.

In a Sentence: After a good night’s sleep, she felt bright as a new penny and ready for the day. The newly polished car looked bright as a new penny.

Other Ways to Say: Sparkling, Shiny, Alert, Intelligent, Sharp

43. Bite off more than you can chew

Meaning: To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle.

In a Sentence: He bit off more than he could chew by agreeing to manage two major projects simultaneously. Don’t bite off more than you can chew, or you’ll burn out quickly.

Other Ways to Say: Overcommit, Overextend oneself, Take on too much, Be overly ambitious

44. Teeth grinding

Meaning: The act of clenching or grinding the teeth, often unconsciously (bruxism) or due to stress.

In a Sentence: His dentist told him his teeth grinding was causing wear on his molars. She suffered from stress-induced teeth grinding during exams.

Other Ways to Say: Bruxism, Clenching teeth

45. Toothsome

Meaning: (Usually referring to food) delicious or attractive; (less commonly, referring to a person) attractive.

In a Sentence: The dessert was a toothsome blend of chocolate and caramel. She prepared a toothsome feast for her guests.

Other Ways to Say: Delicious, Appetizing, Tasty, Palatable, Scrumptious

46. Give your eye teeth

Meaning: To be willing to give a great deal to have or do something.

In a Sentence: I’d give my eye teeth to get tickets to that concert. She’d give her eye teeth for a chance to work on that prestigious project.

Other Ways to Say: Pay anything, Sacrificing much, Go to great lengths, Desperate for

47. Teeth on fire

Meaning: An expression of intense pain, discomfort, or an irritating sensation in the teeth or mouth, often metaphorical.

In a Sentence: (Less common idiom, often used hyperbolically) The acidic candy made his teeth feel like they were on fire. After biting into the freezing ice cream, his teeth felt like they were on fire.

Other Ways to Say: Intense dental pain, Burning sensation in teeth, Severe irritation

48. Tooth and claw

Meaning: With extreme ferocity and determination, often involving savage fighting. (Similar to ‘tooth and nail’ but often implies more primitive or brutal conflict).

In a Sentence: The two companies fought tooth and claw for market dominance. They defended their territory with tooth and claw against the invaders.

Other Ways to Say: Fiercely, Brutally, Savagely, With extreme aggression

49. Bare your fangs

Meaning: To show aggression or anger; to reveal a threatening or hostile intent. (Similar to ‘bare your teeth’, but ‘fangs’ implies a more animalistic or menacing display).

In a Sentence: The rival leader bared his fangs during the tense negotiations. When challenged, the old dog would bare its fangs as a warning.

Other Ways to Say: Show aggression, Threaten, Snarl, Growl, Reveal hostility

50. Smile through your teeth

Meaning: To smile insincerely or forcedly, often to hide displeasure or anger.

In a Sentence: She managed to smile through her teeth as she greeted her ex-partner. He tried to smile through his teeth, but his eyes showed his true frustration.

Other Ways to Say: Forced smile, Insincere smile, Grin and bear it (implies more endurance), Faked smile

Exercise to Practice – Idioms About Teeth

1. He got the job done _________________________, barely finishing before the deadline.
2. She’s had a _________________________ ever since she was a little girl, always wanting chocolate.
3. The new regulations have to _________________________ if they are to be effective.
4. After the frustrating meeting, he could only _________________________ in silence.
5. He lost his last baby tooth, so he’s excited for the _________________________ to visit tonight.
6. Getting her to admit she made a mistake was like _________________________.
7. The old house was _________________________ after the deep cleaning.
8. I had to _________________________ when my brother made that rude comment.
9. Finding a quiet spot in the library during exam season is as _________________________.
10. She decided to _________________________ and finally tell him how she felt.

Answer Key

1. by the skin of his teeth
2. sweet tooth
3. have teeth
4. gnash his teeth
5. Tooth Fairy
6. pulling teeth
7. clean as a whistle
8. bite my tongue
9. rare as hens’ teeth
10. take the bit between her teeth

Conclusion

Who knew our teeth could inspire so many clever phrases? Idioms about teeth really bite into our language, helping us express everything from determination to making a narrow escape. These expressions show how everyday features can spark surprising depths of meaning. So, go ahead and chew on these idioms; they’ll certainly add some bite to your conversations!