People Idioms (With Meaning and Examples)

In this blog post, we will explore various idioms that include the word “people.” Idioms are expressions that don’t mean exactly what the words say but have a different, often imaginative, meaning. These phrases are used frequently in everyday English and understanding them can make you better at the language.

People Idioms

Here are 20 people idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.

1. Salt of the earth
   • Meaning: Very good and honest people
   • Example: Grandma is the salt of the earth.
2. People person
   • Meaning: Someone who enjoys being with others
   • Example: He’s a real people person at parties.
3. Man of the people
   • Meaning: A person who understands ordinary people
   • Example: The mayor is a man of the people.
4. Not my cup of tea
   • Meaning: Not something one enjoys
   • Example: Crowds are not my cup of tea.
5. Backseat driver
   • Meaning: Someone who gives unwanted advice
   • Example: Stop being a backseat driver!
6. Fair-weather friend
   • Meaning: A friend only during good times
   • Example: She’s just a fair-weather friend.
7. Rub shoulders with
   • Meaning: To associate with certain people
   • Example: He rubs shoulders with celebrities.
8. A people’s person
   • Meaning: Easily friendly and sociable
   • Example: She’s always been a people’s person.
9. People pleaser
   • Meaning: Someone who tries to please everyone
   • Example: He’s a typical people pleaser.
10. One of the people
    • Meaning: An ordinary person, not elite
    • Example: He’s just one of the people.
11. Mixed company
    • Meaning: Group of both men and women
    • Example: We’re in mixed company, be polite.
12. Like herding cats
    • Meaning: Trying to organize difficult people
    • Example: Managing them is like herding cats.
13. People watcher
    • Meaning: Someone who observes others
    • Example: I’m a regular people watcher.
14. People mover
    • Meaning: A vehicle or system transporting groups
    • Example: The airport has a new people mover.
15. Yes-man
    • Meaning: Someone who always agrees
    • Example: He’s just a yes-man.
16. Man of few words
    • Meaning: Someone who doesn’t talk much
    • Example: My dad is a man of few words.
17. John Doe
    • Meaning: An unknown or average man
    • Example: We have a John Doe here.
18. Busybody
    • Meaning: A person who is too interested in others
    • Example: She’s a neighborhood busybody.
19. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry
    • Meaning: Everyone, average people
    • Example: Every Tom, Dick, and Harry was there.
20. Average Joe
    • Meaning: An ordinary person
    • Example: He’s just an average Joe.

Read More:

Similes for People

Slang for People

Words to Describe People