Water flows through our language just like it does through rivers and seas, bringing fresh meaning to what we say. Idioms for water create vivid scenes—waves of emotion, ripples of change, or floods of trouble. Each phrase feels natural and easy to picture, making your words come alive.
Let’s dive in and see how these idioms can add depth and color to your everyday conversations!
Best Idioms for Water
1. In deep water
Meaning: Being in serious trouble or facing a difficult situation, often feeling overwhelmed or out of depth.
In a Sentence:
After missing the deadline, he knew he was in deep water with his boss.
When the project failed, the entire team found themselves in deep water.
Other Ways to Say: In over your head. Out of your depth. Stuck in a tough spot.
2. In hot water
Meaning: Being in trouble or facing criticism, especially for a mistake or wrongdoing.
In a Sentence:
She was in hot water after forgetting the client’s appointment.
His reckless comment landed him in hot water with the press.
Other Ways to Say: Under fire. In a tight spot. Facing backlash.
3. Fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable, awkward, or out of place in a new or unfamiliar environment.
In a Sentence:
At the fancy gala, he felt like a fish out of water in his simple suit.
She was like a fish out of water during her first day at the new job.
Other Ways to Say: Out of your element. Not at ease. Feeling misplaced.
4. Troubled waters
Meaning: A situation full of difficulties, instability, or conflict, often hard to navigate.
In a Sentence:
Their relationship hit troubled waters after months of arguments.
The company is sailing through troubled waters during the recession.
Other Ways to Say: Rough Patch. Turbulent times. Rocky road.
5. Not hold water
Meaning: An idea, argument, or explanation that is not convincing or credible.
In a Sentence:
His excuse for being late didn’t hold water with the teacher.
The theory sounded good but didn’t hold water under scrutiny.
Other Ways to Say: Fall Apart. Lack credibility. Doesn’t add up.
6. Be blown out of the water
Meaning: To be completely defeated, overwhelmed, or surpassed by something much stronger or better.
In a Sentence:
Their small team was blown out of the water by the industry giant.
Our sales projections were blown out of the water by unexpected demand.
Other Ways to Say: Crushed. Outperformed. Wiped out.
7. Up the creek (without a paddle)
Meaning: In a difficult situation without any obvious solution or help.
In a Sentence:
We were up the creek without a paddle when the car broke down in the desert.
If you don’t study, you’ll be up the creek during the final exam.
Other Ways to Say: In a jam. In a bind. Stuck with no way out.
8. Drown in debt
Meaning: Being overwhelmed with a large amount of debt that feels impossible to manage.
In a Sentence:
After losing his job, he started drowning in debt.
They’re drowning in debt from medical bills and student loans.
Other Ways to Say: Buried in bills. Overwhelmed by loans. Financially sinking.
9. Sink or swim
Meaning: Being forced to succeed or fail on your own, without help or support.
In a Sentence:
It’s a sink-or-swim situation when you start your own business.
They threw me into the deep end, and it was sink or swim.
Other Ways to Say: Stand or Fall. Make it or break it. Do or die.
10. Go down like a lead balloon
Meaning: An idea or action that fails miserably or is received very poorly.
In a Sentence:
His joke went down like a lead balloon at the meeting.
The new policy went down like a lead balloon with the employees.
Other Ways to Say: Flop. Fall flat. Bomb.
11. Like a duck to water
Meaning: Doing something very naturally and easily, as if born to it.
In a Sentence:
She picked up painting like a duck to water.
He took to his new role like a duck to water, surprising everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Naturally gifted. Effortless. Instinctive.
12. Testing the waters
Meaning: Trying something out or checking reactions before fully committing to it.
In a Sentence:
We’re just testing the waters with this new product launch.
Before signing up for the marathon, she tested the waters with a shorter race.
Other Ways to Say: Trying out. Experimenting. Feeling things out.
13. Take to something like a fish to water
Meaning: Quickly adapting to and enjoying something new or unfamiliar.
In a Sentence:
He took to coding like a fish to water.
She took to motherhood like a fish to water.
Other Ways to Say: Settle in fast. Click on it. Embrace with ease.
14. Get your feet wet
Meaning: Start gaining experience in a new activity or field for the first time.
In a Sentence:
I’m just getting my feet wet with this internship.
It’s a great chance to get your feet wet in marketing.
Other Ways to Say: Try out. Get started. Dip your toes.
15. Dive right in
Meaning: Begin something eagerly and without hesitation.
In a Sentence:
She dove right in and started organizing the event.
He likes to dive right in when faced with a new challenge.
Other Ways to Say: Jump headfirst. Get stuck in. Tackle immediately.
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Green: From Envy to Growth
16. Wade into something
Meaning: Enter a situation or argument boldly, often knowing it might be tough.
In a Sentence:
He waded into the debate with strong opinions.
The mayor waded into the controversy despite warnings.
Other Ways to Say: Step up. Engage. Get involved assertively.
17. Dip your toe in the water
Meaning: Try something cautiously or on a small scale before making a bigger commitment.
In a Sentence:
I’m dipping my toe in the water with a weekend yoga class.
They dipped their toe in the water by launching the app in one city first.
Other Ways to Say: Test out. Sample. Try gently.
18. Jump in with both feet
Meaning: Commit fully and enthusiastically to something right away.
In a Sentence:
They jumped in with both feet and opened the café within a month.
She’s the kind of person who jumps in with both feet, with no hesitation.
Other Ways to Say: All in. Fully commit. Embrace wholeheartedly.
19. Ride the wave
Meaning: Take advantage of a trend or positive momentum to succeed.
In a Sentence:
He rode the wave of social media fame to grow his business.
The team is riding the wave of their recent victory into the finals.
Other Ways to Say: Capitalize on. Go along with success. Surf the trend.
20. Go with the flow
Meaning: Adapt easily to whatever is happening without resistance.
In a Sentence:
We didn’t plan much—we just went with the flow on vacation.
She’s easygoing and prefers to go with the flow.
Other Ways to Say: Take it as it comes. Adapt. Follow along.
21. Blood is thicker than water
Meaning: Family ties are stronger and more important than other relationships or friendships.
In a Sentence:
He forgave his brother easily—blood is thicker than water.
No matter what happens, she believes blood is thicker than water.
Other Ways to Say: Family First. Kin comes first. Flesh and blood matter most.
22. Pour oil on troubled waters
Meaning: Calm down a tense or conflict-ridden situation, bringing peace.
In a Sentence:
She poured oil on troubled waters after the heated argument.
The teacher’s kind words poured oil on the troubled waters in the class.
Other Ways to Say: Calm things down. Soothe tensions. Restore peace.
23. Water under the bridge
Meaning: Past conflicts or problems that are now forgiven or no longer important.
In a Sentence:
Their old rivalry is just water under the bridge now.
We argued last year, but that’s water under the bridge.
Other Ways to Say: Ancient History. Let bygones be bygones. All forgiven.
24. Cry a river
Meaning: Express a lot of sadness, often through heavy crying or emotional outpouring.
In a Sentence:
After the breakup, she cried a river every night.
He cried a river when his dog passed away.
Other Ways to Say: Weep bitterly. Sob uncontrollably. Flood with tears.
25. Still waters run deep
Meaning: Quiet people often have deep thoughts, strong feelings, or hidden talents.
In a Sentence:
He rarely speaks, but still, the waters run deep.
Don’t underestimate her—still, the waters run deep.
Other Ways to Say: Quiet but wise. Silent but strong. Calm but intense.
26. Muddy the waters
Meaning: Make a situation more confusing, complicated, or unclear.
In a Sentence:
His vague answers muddied the waters in the meeting.
The rumors just muddied the waters around the issue.
Other Ways to Say: Confuse things. Complicate matters. Cloud the issue.
27. Clear as water
Meaning: Extremely clear, easy to understand, or obvious.
In a Sentence:
The instructions were clear as water.
Her honesty was clear as water in every word.
Other Ways to Say: Crystal clear. Plain as day. Easy to grasp.
28. Water off a duck’s back
Meaning: Criticism or difficulties that don’t affect someone at all.
In a Sentence:
The insults were like water off a duck’s back to him.
She stayed calm—it was just water off a duck’s back.
Other Ways to Say: Shrug it off. Unbothered. Let it roll off.
29. Stir the waters
Meaning: Cause trouble, provoke conflict, or disturb a peaceful situation.
In a Sentence:
He loves stirring the waters during meetings.
Don’t stir the waters when things are finally calm.
Other Ways to Say: Rock the boat. Ruffle feathers. Spark conflict.
30. Bridge over troubled water
Meaning: Someone or something that offers comfort and support during difficult times.
In a Sentence:
Her friendship was a bridge over troubled water during my hard times.
That kind gesture acted like a bridge over troubled water for him.
Other Ways to Say: Lifeline. Safe harbor. Source of comfort.
31. Make waves
Meaning: Cause a big impact or stir things up, often by bringing change or attracting attention.
In a Sentence:
Her bold designs are making waves in the fashion industry.
He made waves by speaking out against the policy.
Other Ways to Say: Shake things up. Cause a stir. Get noticed.
32. Come hell or high water
Meaning: Do whatever it takes to achieve a goal, no matter how difficult the obstacles.
In a Sentence:
He promised to finish the project, come hell or high water.
She’ll be at the wedding, come hell or high water.
Other Ways to Say: No matter what. Against all odds. Through thick and thin.
33. To pour cold water on something
Meaning: Discourage enthusiasm or excitement about an idea or plan.
In a Sentence:
His criticism poured cold water on our new proposal.
The manager poured cold water on their big plans.
Other Ways to Say: Rain on the parade. Deflate excitement. Dampen spirits.
34. Dead in the water
Meaning: A plan, idea, or project that has failed completely and can’t move forward.
In a Sentence:
The expansion plans are dead in the water after funding was cut.
His career felt dead in the water after the scandal.
Other Ways to Say: Stalled. Doomed. Going nowhere.
35. Throw cold water on
Meaning: Discourage someone or ruin their excitement about something.
In a Sentence:
She threw cold water on his idea to move abroad.
The negative feedback threw cold water on the project.
Other Ways to Say: Crush enthusiasm. Discourage. Burst the bubble.
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Trees That Grow with Wisdom
36. Break the ice
Meaning: Start a conversation or activity that makes people feel more relaxed and comfortable.
In a Sentence:
He told a funny story to break the ice at the party.
Games help break the ice at team-building events.
Other Ways to Say: Start things off. Ease tension. Open up.
37. Cast your net wide
Meaning: Try many different options or explore a wide range of opportunities.
In a Sentence:
She cast her net wide in the job search to improve her chances.
To find the right partner, you sometimes need to cast your net wide.
Other Ways to Say: Explore broadly. Keep your options open. Search far and wide.
38. Sail through something
Meaning: Complete a task easily or smoothly, with little difficulty.
In a Sentence:
She sailed through the exam without breaking a sweat.
The team sailed through the first round of the tournament.
Other Ways to Say: Breeze through. Pass with ease. Ace it.
39. Turn the tide
Meaning: Change the direction or outcome of a situation, especially from bad to good.
In a Sentence:
The new strategy turned the tide of the battle.
A lucky break turned the tide in their favor.
Other Ways to Say: Reverse fortunes. Shift momentum. Change course.
40. Stem the tide
Meaning: Stop or slow down a negative trend or situation.
In a Sentence:
They introduced new policies to stem the tide of resignations.
Quick action helped stem the tide of complaints.
Other Ways to Say: Hold back. Halt progress. Contain the problem.
41. Keep your head above water
Meaning: Struggle to survive or stay stable during difficult times, often financially or emotionally.
In a Sentence:
She’s working two jobs just to keep her head above water.
During the crisis, we barely kept our heads above water.
Other Ways to Say: Stay afloat. Hold on. Survive.
42. New water
Meaning: A fresh opportunity or a new beginning, symbolizing a clean and unspoiled path forward.
In a Sentence:
After moving cities, he felt like he was stepping into new water.
The project marked a step into new water for the company.
Other Ways to Say: Fresh start. Clean slate. New ground.
43. As calm as a millpond
Meaning: Extremely peaceful, calm, and free of disturbance or stress.
In a Sentence:
Even during the emergency, she stayed as calm as a millpond.
The lake was as calm as a millpond that morning.
Other Ways to Say: Cool and collected. At peace. Tranquil.
44. Like water off a duck’s back
Meaning: Not being affected by criticism, problems, or difficulties at all.
In a Sentence:
The teasing rolled off him like water off a duck’s back.
She stayed strong—it was like water off a duck’s back.
Other Ways to Say: Unshaken. Let it slide. Brush it off.
45. Smooth as glass
Meaning: Perfectly smooth, calm, and without any trouble or resistance.
In a Sentence:
The river was smooth as glass in the early dawn.
His speech delivery was smooth as glass.
Other Ways to Say: Flawless. Seamless. Calm and steady.
46. Dry as a bone
Meaning: Completely dry, or sometimes used to describe something lacking in emotion or excitement.
In a Sentence:
The land was dry as a bone after weeks without rain.
His lecture was dry as a bone and hard to follow.
Other Ways to Say: Bone-dry. Lifeless. Dull.
47. Hold water
Meaning: An argument or explanation that is solid, logical, and trustworthy.
In a Sentence:
His alibi didn’t hold water under investigation.
That theory holds water—it makes perfect sense.
Other Ways to Say: Stand up. Be convincing. Check out.
48. Tread water
Meaning: Stay in the same place without making progress, often while waiting for a better situation.
In a Sentence:
We’ve been treading water, waiting for new funding.
She felt like she was just treading water in her career.
Other Ways to Say: Stay stuck. Stall. Mark time.
49. As slippery as an eel
Meaning: Someone who is difficult to catch, pin down, or trust—often tricky or deceitful.
In a Sentence:
The thief was as slippery as an eel, escaping every time.
He’s as slippery as an eel in negotiations.
Other Ways to Say: Hard to catch. Sly. Elusive.
50. A drop in the ocean
Meaning: A very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed or expected.
In a Sentence:
The donation was generous, but still a drop in the ocean of need.
Our efforts felt like a drop in the ocean of global problems.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny fraction. Barely noticeable. Tip of the iceberg.
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Water
- After months of delay, their project is now __________ dead in the water.
- He’s calm and focused, always __________ as calm as a millpond under pressure.
- When criticized, she just lets it roll __________ like water off a duck’s back.
- Their donation helped, but it was __________ compared to the huge need.
- The speaker’s awkward joke __________ and no one laughed.
- He quickly adapted to the role, taking to it __________ like a fish to water.
- The debate got confusing when someone __________ muddied the waters with unrelated points.
- We’re only __________ testing the waters with this trial run before going big.
- Her loyalty shows that she believes __________ blood is thicker than water.
- Despite many obstacles, they kept their business afloat, always __________ keeping their heads above water.
Answers
- dead in the water
- as calm as a millpond
- like water off a duck’s back
- a drop in the ocean
- went down like a lead balloon
- like a fish to water
- muddied the waters
- testing the waters
- blood is thicker than water
- keeping their heads above water
Conclusion
Idioms for water don’t just describe—they flow with imagery and depth, turning simple phrases into waves of meaning. Whether you’re talking about challenges or calm moments, these expressions ripple through language with ease. Pick a few favorites to bring fresh energy to your own words. Which idiom would you like to use in your next conversation?
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
