People don’t always say things directly. Sometimes, they use special phrases to show what they mean. These phrases are called idioms. Idioms help us understand feelings, actions, or ideas in a more colorful way. One group of idioms talks about how people give or receive criticism. Criticism means pointing out mistakes or saying something could be better.
In this article, we will learn about idioms that are used when someone is being judged, corrected, or teased. These idioms are used in school, at home, or even at work. Knowing these idioms can help you understand what people really mean. They can also help you talk about criticism in a fun and simple way.
Idioms About Criticism
1. Bite someone’s head off
Meaning: To yell at someone suddenly and harshly
Example Sentence:
• Mom bit my head off when I forgot to take out the trash.
• He bit her head off just for asking a question.
Other ways to say: Snap at, yell at
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the image of someone angrily shouting, like they’re “biting” with their words.
Usage: Used when someone reacts very angrily to a small mistake
2. Pick apart
Meaning: To find and talk about every little flaw
Example Sentence:
• The teacher picked apart my story for every small mistake.
• He picked apart my drawing even though I worked hard on it.
Other ways to say: Criticize, break down
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from carefully pulling something apart, like taking apart a toy.
Usage: Used when someone points out many problems in something
3. Chew out
Meaning: To scold someone loudly
Example Sentence:
• Coach chewed me out for being late to practice.
• Dad chewed out my brother for breaking the window.
Other ways to say: Yell at, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from military slang for giving strong orders.
Usage: Used when someone is loudly told they did something wrong
4. Put someone down
Meaning: To say something that makes someone feel bad
Example Sentence:
• She put me down in front of the whole class.
• He always puts his little brother down.
Other ways to say: Insult, tease
Fun Fact/Origin: “Put down” means to lower something, so this idiom means lowering someone’s feelings.
Usage: Used when someone is made to feel less than others
5. Call out
Meaning: To point out someone’s mistake publicly
Example Sentence:
• The teacher called me out for not doing my homework.
• He got called out for cheating during the game.
Other ways to say: Point out, criticize
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom comes from the idea of saying someone’s name aloud in public.
Usage: Used when someone is corrected or blamed in front of others
6. Give someone a hard time
Meaning: To tease or criticize someone
Example Sentence:
• My friends gave me a hard time for my new haircut.
• He always gives his sister a hard time.
Other ways to say: Tease, bug
Fun Fact/Origin: This means making life harder for someone with words or actions.
Usage: Used when someone is bothered or teased in a playful or mean way
7. Tear into
Meaning: To speak very harshly to someone
Example Sentence:
• The coach tore into us after we lost the game.
• Mom tore into my brother for lying.
Other ways to say: Scold, yell at
Fun Fact/Origin: “Tear into” means to attack something forcefully, like food or a problem.
Usage: Used when someone talks in a very angry way
8. Put someone on blast
Meaning: To criticize someone openly
Example Sentence:
• She put me on blast on social media.
• He got put on blast for not helping with the project.
Other ways to say: Shame, call out
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from hip-hop culture, where “blast” means loud or public.
Usage: Used when someone is embarrassed by being called out in front of others
9. Rake over the coals
Meaning: To punish or criticize harshly
Example Sentence:
• The boss raked him over the coals for being late again.
• I got raked over the coals for spilling the juice.
Other ways to say: Scold, lecture
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from an old image of dragging someone over hot coals to punish them.
Usage: Used when someone is harshly blamed
10. Jump down someone’s throat
Meaning: To respond angrily to something small
Example Sentence:
• She jumped down my throat just because I was late.
• Don’t jump down his throat—he just asked a question.
Other ways to say: React angrily, overreact
Fun Fact/Origin: It gives the idea of yelling so harshly it feels like someone is being attacked.
Usage: Used when someone reacts too harshly
11. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: To tell someone how angry you are
Example Sentence:
• Mom gave me a piece of her mind when I forgot to do chores.
• He gave his friend a piece of his mind for being rude.
Other ways to say: Tell off, speak up
Fun Fact/Origin: It means sharing your true, often angry, thoughts with someone.
Usage: Used when someone expresses their anger directly
12. Come down hard on
Meaning: To punish or scold someone strongly
Example Sentence:
• The principal came down hard on students who were fighting.
• The coach came down hard on the team for not listening.
Other ways to say: Punish, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: “Come down” shows force, and “hard” makes it stronger.
Usage: Used when someone is strongly corrected
13. Lay into
Meaning: To criticize someone harshly
Example Sentence:
• She laid into me for not cleaning my room.
• He laid into the team for losing focus.
Other ways to say: Attack with words, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: “Lay into” sounds like hitting someone, but with words.
Usage: Used when someone talks to another in an angry, harsh way
14. Put someone in their place
Meaning: To remind someone they are not better than others
Example Sentence:
• She put me in my place when I acted too proud.
• The teacher put him in his place after he was rude.
Other ways to say: Correct, humble
Fun Fact/Origin: It means to tell someone not to act too proud or bossy.
Usage: Used when someone is reminded to be respectful
15. Dress down
Meaning: To scold someone, often in private
Example Sentence:
• The manager dressed me down for being late.
• He got dressed down after talking back in class.
Other ways to say: Tell off, rebuke
Fun Fact/Origin: Originally used in the army for correcting soldiers
Usage: Used when someone is criticized by a boss or teacher
16. Throw shade
Meaning: To give a sneaky or rude insult
Example Sentence:
• She threw shade at me for my outfit.
• He throws shade without saying names.
Other ways to say: Insult quietly, talk behind someone’s back
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in pop culture and social media
Usage: Used when someone is being rude without saying it directly
17. Take a dig at
Meaning: To say something that lightly insults someone
Example Sentence:
• He took a dig at my cooking during dinner.
• She’s always taking little digs at her brother.
Other ways to say: Tease, mock
Fun Fact/Origin: A “dig” is like a small hit, but with words.
Usage: Used when someone makes a mean joke
18. Give someone the third degree
Meaning: To question or criticize someone a lot
Example Sentence:
• Mom gave me the third degree when I came home late.
• He got the third degree about where he had been.
Other ways to say: Question, pressure
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from police questioning people hard
Usage: Used when someone is asked too many questions
19. Talk down to
Meaning: To speak to someone like they’re not smart
Example Sentence:
• He talks down to kids all the time.
• Don’t talk down to me—I know what I’m doing!
Other ways to say: Belittle, disrespect
Fun Fact/Origin: It means speaking “down” as if someone is less important.
Usage: Used when someone is rude or acts smarter than others
20. Read someone the riot act
Meaning: To warn someone in a serious way
Example Sentence:
• Dad read me the riot act after I broke the vase.
• The teacher read the class the riot act for being too noisy.
Other ways to say: Warn strongly, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a real law in old England
Usage: Used when someone gives a serious warning
21. Roast
Meaning: To make fun of someone, sometimes in a playful way
Example Sentence:
• My friends roasted me for falling off my bike.
• He roasted his brother during dinner.
Other ways to say: Joke about, tease
Fun Fact/Origin: “Roast” comes from cooking, like burning someone with jokes.
Usage: Used when someone is joked about, sometimes for fun
22. Tear to shreds
Meaning: To criticize very harshly
Example Sentence:
• My essay was torn to shreds by the teacher.
• The movie got torn to shreds by critics.
Other ways to say: Break apart, harsh review
Fun Fact/Origin: Like ripping paper into pieces, but with words
Usage: Used when something is strongly criticized
23. Bash
Meaning: To strongly criticize
Example Sentence:
• He bashed the book for being boring.
• The player got bashed for missing the shot.
Other ways to say: Criticize, attack
Fun Fact/Origin: “Bash” means to hit hard, and in this case, with words
Usage: Used when people speak badly about something or someone
24. Clap back
Meaning: To reply to criticism with strong words
Example Sentence:
• She clapped back when someone teased her online.
• He clapped back at his critics during the interview.
Other ways to say: Reply sharply, talk back
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in online language and social media
Usage: Used when someone defends themselves from criticism
25. Come under fire
Meaning: To receive strong criticism
Example Sentence:
• The school came under fire for changing the rules.
• The coach came under fire after the team lost.
Other ways to say: Get blamed, be attacked
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from war, where being “under fire” meant danger
Usage: Used when someone or something is blamed by many
Quiz: Idioms About Criticism
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “bite someone’s head off” mean?
A) To eat fast
B) To suddenly yell at someone
C) To ignore someone
2. If someone “puts you down,” what are they doing?
A) Giving you a ride
B) Praising you
C) Saying something to make you feel bad
3. What does it mean to “come under fire”?
A) To be in a warm place
B) To be praised
C) To be strongly criticized
4. When a teacher “calls you out,” what does that mean?
A) Gives you a prize
B) Tells the class you did something wrong
C) Asks you to leave
5. If your friend “gives you a hard time,” what are they doing?
A) Helping with homework
B) Teasing or bothering you
C) Taking you to lunch
6. What does it mean to “jump down someone’s throat”?
A) Give someone candy
B) React too harshly to something small
C) Help someone with their words
7. What does “throw shade” mean?
A) Cover someone with a blanket
B) Say something secretly mean
C) Give someone sunglasses
8. If someone “lays into you,” what are they doing?
A) Telling you a funny story
B) Hugging you
C) Criticizing you very harshly
9. What does it mean to “take a dig at” someone?
A) Say something to lightly insult them
B) Help them dig a hole
C) Dance with them
10. If someone “reads you the riot act,” what are they doing?
A) Telling you a bedtime story
B) Giving you a serious warning
C) Playing a game
Answer Key
- B) To suddenly yell at someone
- C) Saying something to make you feel bad
- C) To be strongly criticized
- B) Tells the class you did something wrong
- B) Teasing or bothering you
- B) React too harshly to something small
- B) Say something secretly mean
- C) Criticizing you very harshly
- A) Say something to lightly insult them
- B) Giving you a serious warning
Wrapping Up
Idioms help people understand ideas better. When someone is being judged, teased, or corrected, these idioms can explain the feeling in a short and clear way. They show how people react to mistakes or rude behavior.
By learning these idioms, you can better understand what others mean. You can also speak more clearly when you need to talk about being corrected or feeling picked on. These phrases are common in everyday talk, so it’s helpful to know them.
