Celebrating achievements, milestones, and special occasions is a universal practice. To add more color and expressiveness to your conversations about celebrations, it’s useful to know a variety of expressions. Here are 20 idioms and phrasal verbs that perfectly capture the joy and excitement of celebrating.
1. Paint the Town Red
Meaning: Celebrate wildly
Example: Let’s paint the town red tonight to celebrate!
2. Throw a Party
Meaning: Host a celebration
Example: They threw a party for her promotion.
3. Live It Up
Meaning: Enjoy life fully
Example: We decided to live it up
4. Kick Up One’s Heels
Meaning: Celebrate and enjoy
Example: She kicked up her heels at the festival.
5. Raise a Toast
Meaning: Celebrate with a drink
Example: Let’s raise a toast to their success!
6. Ring in the New Year
Meaning: Celebrate the New Year
Example: We always ring in the New Year together.
7. Have a Ball
Meaning: Have a great time
Example: We had a ball at the anniversary party.
8. Pop the Champagne
Meaning: Celebrate with champagne
Example: They popped the champagne after the win.
9. Party Like There’s No Tomorrow
Meaning: Celebrate intensely
Example: They partied like there’s no tomorrow.
10. Cut Loose
Meaning: Let go and celebrate
Example: It’s time to cut loose and have fun.
11. Dance the Night Away
Meaning: Celebrate by dancing
Example: They danced the night away at the wedding.
12. Whoop It Up
Meaning: Celebrate noisily
Example: The crowd whooped it up after the game.
13. Let One’s Hair Down
Meaning: Relax and celebrate
Example: She let her hair down at the reunion.
14. Pop the Cork
Meaning: Open champagne to celebrate
Example: We popped the cork to celebrate the news.
15. Throw a Bash
Meaning: Host a big party
Example: They threw a bash for his birthday.
16. Paint the Town
Meaning: Celebrate in the city
Example: Let’s paint the town this weekend.
17. Celebrate in Style
Meaning: Celebrate lavishly
Example: They celebrated in style at the gala.
18. Toast to Someone/Something
Meaning: Drink in celebration
Example: We toasted to their engagement.
19. Kick Off the Festivities
Meaning: Start celebrating
Example: They kicked off the festivities with fireworks.
20. Mark the Occasion
Meaning: Celebrate a special event
Example: They marked the occasion with a grand feast.