Clichés are overused words, which have lost their true meaning. Mostly, writers avoid using clichés because of this. They speak of redundancy and lack of novelty. But sometimes you can use clichés to make a point. A pedant can use clichéd phrases excessively to show off his knowledge or a child can innocently misuse a cliché he read in a book to the embarrassment of the mother. If used cleverly, clichés can be useful for the writer.
While using metaphors and similes make sure that it is not a cliché. Many of the clichés are mini metaphors and similes. Below is a list of clichés, which you can use and watch out against the possibility of their misuse.
Clichéd Phrases and WordsAhead of his time
A penny for your thoughts
For a good cause
All smoke and no fire
Easier said than done
Fresh as a daisy
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder Another way of saying it
Give and take
Fistfight
As pure as snow
As white as snow
Tailor-made
All things grow with love
Gory
As clear as mud
An empty head is the devil’s workshop Making a mountain out of a molehill Around the clock
Better half
As a matter of fact
Fighting like cats and dogs
Hard to swallow
In a nutshell
As white as a sheet
Best foot forward
Every rose has its thorn
Last but not the least
Beating around the bush
Blood bath
As easy as pie
Out of the blue moon
Bridge the gap
Like father, like son
Burning the midnight oil
Look before you leap
Dawned on me
Change of heart
Cock and bull story
There’s no place like home
Curiosity killed the cat
Beauty is a fading flower
Better safe than sorry
Following in his footsteps
Crocodile tears
Dead duck
As good as gold
Up for grabs
Lost and found
Deep inside
Love is blind
Blowing hot and cold
Better late than never
Down and out
No news is good news
A cock and bull story
Eat, drink and be merry
Every dog has its day
Time heals all wounds
Tough nut to crack
All’s well that ends well
No stone unturned
Words of wisdom
Big brother is watching
The grass is greener on the other side Failed to make an impression
A bottomless pit
The first impression is the last impression Fit as a fiddle
Figure of speech
Time is money
Fits like a glove
Behind closed doors
Sleeping like a log
A bitter pill
All is fair in love and war
Getting off on the wrong foot Good riddance
Been there before
All in good time
Every cloud has a silver lining Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
As busy as a bee
No point in crying over spilt milk Too hot to handle
Take a ride
Glimmer of hope
The writing on the wall
Panic button
Put on your thinking cap
Above and beyond the call of duty According to the experts
A half-baked idea
Haste makes waste
Against all odds
Birds of a feather flock together A hard day’s work
Easy come, easy go
Butterflies in the stomach
Catch me if you can
A stitch in time saves nine
At a loss for words
Knee deep
Kiss of death
Tried and tested
Make hay while the sun shines Mind over matter
Nerve wracking
None of your business
On cloud nine
Laughter is the best medicine On top of the world
Close shave
Open door policy
Out of this world
Picture perfect
Practice what you preach
Close as ice
Beggars can’t be choosers Dressed to kill
As fast as lightening
Through thick and thin
Practice makes perfect
Eye to eye
Don’t worry, be happy
Raining cats and dogs
Keep your fingers crossed Put a rest to
Society at large
Fall head over heels
Caught red-handed
Down in the dumps
Do or die
To err is human
Sleep like a baby
Free as a bird
As cool as cucumber
Buckle down
Darkest before the dawn
Count your blessings
By hook or by crook
Bite the dust
At a snail’s pace
Tomorrow is another day
Hoping against hope
Lead from the front
Stranger than fiction
Straight as an arrow
The eleventh hour
Dare to be different
Live and let lives
The plot thickens
What goes around comes around A feather in his cap
Piece of cake
Black as coal
Cold shoulder
As good as it gets