We all have ideas about what might happen. These ideas are called expectations. Sometimes we expect something fun, like a birthday party. Other times, we expect something hard, like a big test. People use special phrases called idioms to talk about these hopes or guesses. Idioms make our words more fun and easier to understand.
This article will show you different idioms about expectations. These idioms help us say what we think might happen or how we feel when things go differently than planned. Some are happy, and some are surprising. Let’s look at these idioms and see how they work in real life.
Idioms About Expectations
1. Get your hopes up
Meaning: To expect something good to happen
Example Sentence:
• Don’t get your hopes up about the snow day.
• She got her hopes up for a new bike.
Other ways to say: Count on it, look forward to it
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been used since the 1800s to show someone feeling excited about a possible event.
Usage: Used when someone is excited or expecting something positive.
2. Burst someone’s bubble
Meaning: To disappoint someone by showing things aren’t as great as they hoped
Example Sentence:
• I hate to burst your bubble, but there’s no party today.
• His smile faded when the teacher burst his bubble.
Other ways to say: Let down, break the news
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of popping a soap bubble, ending something fun.
Usage: Used when someone stops another’s happy expectation.
3. Don’t hold your breath
Meaning: Don’t expect it to happen soon or at all
Example Sentence:
• He said he’ll clean his room, but don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t hold your breath for that new game—it’s delayed again.
Other ways to say: Don’t count on it, don’t expect it
Fun Fact/Origin: Holding your breath means waiting a short time—this idiom warns not to do that.
Usage: Used when something likely won’t happen.
4. A rude awakening
Meaning: A sudden, unpleasant surprise
Example Sentence:
• Missing the bus was a rude awakening for him.
• She got a rude awakening when her grade dropped.
Other ways to say: A shock, big surprise
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in the 1800s to describe a wake-up that was not gentle.
Usage: Used when someone learns something the hard way.
5. Shoot for the stars
Meaning: Aim for something very high or great
Example Sentence:
• My dad said to shoot for the stars with my science project.
• She’s shooting for the stars by trying out for the team.
Other ways to say: Aim high, dream big
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from space language—stars are far, so trying to reach them shows a big goal.
Usage: Used when encouraging someone to try something hard or great.
6. Walk on air
Meaning: To feel very happy because something good happened
Example Sentence:
• He was walking on air after winning the spelling bee.
• She felt like she was walking on air after getting the part in the play.
Other ways to say: Feel great, over the moon
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from the idea of being so happy it feels like you’re floating.
Usage: Used when someone is full of joy due to good news or success.
7. Raise the bar
Meaning: To set a higher standard or expectation
Example Sentence:
• The new art project raised the bar for the whole class.
• She raised the bar with her amazing science fair display.
Other ways to say: Set a higher goal, push limits
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports like high jump, where the bar is raised to make the jump harder.
Usage: Used when someone makes things better or harder to reach.
8. Get more than you bargained for
Meaning: To expect one thing but get something extra or surprising
Example Sentence:
• I just wanted a dog, but I got more than I bargained for—she had puppies!
• Helping with homework turned into babysitting too.
Other ways to say: Unexpected surprise, not what you thought
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old markets, where people would make deals (bargains) and sometimes get extra work or trouble.
Usage: Used when things turn out bigger or harder than expected.
9. Out of the blue
Meaning: Happening without warning or expectation
Example Sentence:
• Out of the blue, my uncle sent me a gift.
• The fire drill started out of the blue during lunch.
Other ways to say: Suddenly, out of nowhere
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of lightning suddenly flashing from a clear blue sky.
Usage: Used when something surprising happens.
10. Expect the unexpected
Meaning: Be ready for surprises
Example Sentence:
• At our school talent show, you should expect the unexpected!
• Camping trips always teach you to expect the unexpected.
Other ways to say: Be ready for anything, surprises happen
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase reminds people that life doesn’t always go as planned.
Usage: Used when things might go differently than you thought.
11. Hold out hope
Meaning: To keep believing something good will happen
Example Sentence:
• We held out hope that our team would win.
• She held out hope for sunny weather on her birthday.
Other ways to say: Keep hoping, stay positive
Fun Fact/Origin: “Hold out” means to keep something going, like hope.
Usage: Used when someone keeps believing in a good outcome.
12. Hit the jackpot
Meaning: To get something very lucky or better than expected
Example Sentence:
• I hit the jackpot with my new teacher—she’s so kind.
• He hit the jackpot finding $10 in his old jeans.
Other ways to say: Get lucky, big win
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from gambling, where a jackpot is a big prize.
Usage: Used when someone gets a great surprise.
13. Too good to be true
Meaning: So good that it’s hard to believe
Example Sentence:
• The free pizza sign was too good to be true—there was a catch.
• That new toy price seemed too good to be true.
Other ways to say: Hard to believe, not likely
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been around since the 1500s.
Usage: Used when something seems unbelievable.
14. Set your sights on
Meaning: To decide to aim for something
Example Sentence:
• She set her sights on becoming class president.
• I set my sights on winning the reading contest.
Other ways to say: Aim for, plan to do
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from aiming in hunting or shooting, where you focus on a target.
Usage: Used when someone chooses a goal to work toward.
15. Get cold feet
Meaning: To suddenly feel nervous about doing something
Example Sentence:
• He got cold feet before going on stage.
• I got cold feet about trying the roller coaster.
Other ways to say: Get scared, back out
Fun Fact/Origin: May come from soldiers feeling too nervous to move, as if their feet were frozen.
Usage: Used when someone hesitates or doesn’t follow through.
16. Ahead of your time
Meaning: Having ideas or expectations that are advanced or not understood yet
Example Sentence:
• Her project was ahead of its time and very creative.
• He was ahead of his time with his robot design.
Other ways to say: Very advanced, futuristic
Fun Fact/Origin: Used to describe inventors or thinkers with ideas not accepted until later.
Usage: Used when someone thinks or does things before others are ready.
17. Let down easy
Meaning: To give bad news gently
Example Sentence:
• I had to let my friend down easy about the sleepover being canceled.
• The coach let him down easy about not making the team.
Other ways to say: Be gentle, soften the blow
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of helping someone fall or fail without too much pain.
Usage: Used when disappointing someone kindly.
18. Built up
Meaning: Made to seem bigger or better than it is
Example Sentence:
• That movie was built up, but it wasn’t that great.
• He built up his trip, but it rained the whole time.
Other ways to say: Overhyped, exaggerated
Fun Fact/Origin: “Build up” means to grow or add to something over time.
Usage: Used when something doesn’t meet the high expectations.
19. Wishful thinking
Meaning: Hoping for something that is unlikely to happen
Example Sentence:
• Thinking school will close for light rain is wishful thinking.
• It was wishful thinking to expect the homework to be canceled.
Other ways to say: Dreaming, hoping too much
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase points out when someone’s hopes don’t match reality.
Usage: Used when someone is hoping without real reason.
20. Jump the gun
Meaning: To act too soon
Example Sentence:
• She jumped the gun and answered before hearing the question.
• We jumped the gun by decorating before Thanksgiving.
Other ways to say: Act early, rush
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from races where runners started before the gun fired.
Usage: Used when someone acts before the right time.
21. Blow out of proportion
Meaning: To think something is a bigger deal than it is
Example Sentence:
• He blew the argument out of proportion.
• It was just a small mistake, but it got blown out of proportion.
Other ways to say: Exaggerate, overreact
Fun Fact/Origin: “Proportion” means size or amount. This idiom means making something seem too big.
Usage: Used when someone overreacts.
22. Wait and see
Meaning: Be patient and find out what happens
Example Sentence:
• We’ll have to wait and see if the snow sticks.
• Let’s wait and see how the team plays.
Other ways to say: Be patient, give it time
Fun Fact/Origin: Common since the 1800s, especially for unsure results.
Usage: Used when an outcome is not clear yet.
23. Live up to the hype
Meaning: To meet high expectations
Example Sentence:
• The new toy didn’t live up to the hype.
• Her cooking really lived up to the hype!
Other ways to say: Match the excitement, meet the buzz
Fun Fact/Origin: “Hype” means a lot of talk about something.
Usage: Used when something meets (or doesn’t meet) expectations.
24. In for a surprise
Meaning: Something unexpected will happen
Example Sentence:
• If you think it’s easy, you’re in for a surprise.
• She was in for a surprise when the lights went out.
Other ways to say: Something is coming, wait and see
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from storytelling and suspense phrases.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t know what’s coming.
25. The writing on the wall
Meaning: A clear sign that something bad is going to happen
Example Sentence:
• When the teacher sighed, we saw the writing on the wall.
• The team saw the writing on the wall before the loss.
Other ways to say: A warning sign, a clue
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a Bible story where words appeared on a wall to warn of trouble.
Usage: Used when signs point to something negative coming.
Quiz: Idioms About Expectations
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. Only one answer is correct. Think about how each idiom is used in real life.
Question Key
1. What does “get your hopes up” mean?
A) Feel tired
B) Expect something good
C) Worry about something
2. If someone says “don’t hold your breath,” what do they mean?
A) You should wait for it to happen soon
B) It might not happen at all
C) Take a deep breath
3. What does “burst your bubble” mean?
A) Give you good news
B) Let you down gently
C) Disappoint someone who was excited
4. If something happens “out of the blue,” it means:
A) It was boring
B) It was expected
C) It was a surprise
5. What does “set your sights on” mean?
A) Choose a goal to go after
B) Clean your glasses
C) Get a good night’s sleep
6. What does it mean to “get cold feet”?
A) Walk in the snow
B) Feel nervous and back out
C) Feel excited
7. What does “wishful thinking” mean?
A) Smart planning
B) Hoping for something that may not happen
C) Guessing the answer
8. If someone “raises the bar,” what are they doing?
A) Lowering expectations
B) Making things easier
C) Setting a higher goal
9. What does “blow something out of proportion” mean?
A) Make something sound much worse than it is
B) Ignore a problem
C) Solve a big problem
10. If someone is “in for a surprise,” what does that mean?
A) They know what’s coming
B) Something unexpected will happen
C) They won’t be surprised
Answer Key
- B – Expect something good
- B – It might not happen at all
- C – Disappoint someone who was excited
- C – It was a surprise
- A – Choose a goal to go after
- B – Feel nervous and back out
- B – Hoping for something that may not happen
- C – Setting a higher goal
- A – Make something sound much worse than it is
- B – Something unexpected will happen
Wrapping Up
Idioms about expectations help us talk about hope, goals, and surprises. They are fun to learn and easy to use in daily life. Knowing them can make speaking and writing more interesting. Next time something unexpected happens, maybe one of these idioms will come to mind.
