In this blog post, we’re going to explore 20 sports idioms that are really useful to know! Idioms are phrases that have a meaning different from the words in them. We often use sports terms in everyday English to describe different situations.
This list will help you understand these expressions better, whether you’re just starting to learn English or looking to improve your skills. Let’s learn some fun and useful ways to express ourselves!
Sports Idioms
Below are some interesting sports idioms with their meaning and example sentences.
- Hat trick
Meaning: Three successes in a row.
“She scored a hat trick in yesterday’s match.”
- Ball in your court
Meaning: Your turn to act.
“You serve next, the ball’s in your court.”
- Still in the game
Meaning: Continuing to compete.
“Down by one, they’re still in the game.”
- Pack a punch
Meaning: Have a strong effect.
“His serve really packs a punch.”
- Whole new ball game
Meaning: A completely changed situation.
“With the new player, it’s a whole new ball game.”
- Jump the gun
Meaning: Start before it’s time.
“He jumped the gun at the start line.”
- Keep your eye on the ball
Meaning: Stay focused.
“To win, keep your eye on the ball.”
- Photo finish
Meaning: A very close competition.
“The race ended in a photo finish.”
- Quick off the mark
Meaning: React quickly.
“She was quick off the mark at the whistle.”
- A sticky wicket
Meaning: A difficult situation.
“Rain made it a sticky wicket for players.”
- Level playing field
Meaning: Fair competition for all.
“New rules ensure a level playing field.”
- Out of left field
Meaning: Surprising or unexpected.
“That play came out of left field!”
- Down to the wire
Meaning: Decided at the last moment.
“The match went down to the wire.”
- Ahead of the game
Meaning: Being in a leading position.
“They’re ahead of the game this season.”
- Game plan
Meaning: A strategy for winning.
“They stuck to their game plan.”
- Throw in the towel
Meaning: To give up or concede.
“The coach refused to throw in the towel.”
- Saved by the bell
Meaning: Rescued by a timely interruption.
“He was saved by the bell at the round’s end.”
- Take a rain check
Meaning: To postpone an event.
“The match took a rain check due to weather.”
- Touch base
Meaning: To make contact or reconnect.
“Let’s touch base after the game.”
- On the ropes
Meaning: Close to defeat or failure.
“They’re on the ropes in the final quarter.”
