Monkeys are clever animals that swing through trees, play with each other, and act silly. People in the USA often use monkey idioms to talk about fun, tricky, or silly situations. These idioms make talking more fun and colorful. They can help us share feelings or ideas without using too many words.
In this article, we’ll learn 45 different idioms about monkeys. You’ll see what each one means and how people use them in everyday life. These monkey sayings can help make your stories and conversations more interesting. Let’s explore how these funny little animals show up in the way Americans speak and write.
Idioms About Monkeys
1. Monkey business
Meaning: Silly or dishonest behavior
Example Sentence:
• The kids got in trouble for monkey business during class.
• There was some monkey business going on at the store.
Other ways to say: Fooling around, mischief
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from monkeys being known for playful tricks.
Usage: Used when someone is acting silly or sneaky.
2. Monkey around
Meaning: To act silly or waste time
Example Sentence:
• Stop monkeying around and do your homework.
• They were monkeying around instead of cleaning.
Other ways to say: Goof off, mess around
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys often play and move in goofy ways.
Usage: Used when people aren’t being serious.
3. More fun than a barrel of monkeys
Meaning: Very fun or exciting
Example Sentence:
• The carnival was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
• Playing with my cousins is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Other ways to say: A blast, tons of fun
Fun Fact/Origin: A barrel full of playful monkeys sounds wild and fun.
Usage: Used to describe something really fun.
4. Monkey on your back
Meaning: A problem that won’t go away
Example Sentence:
• He’s had a monkey on his back since he lost his job.
• Worrying about the test is like a monkey on my back.
Other ways to say: Burden, trouble
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in the U.S. often to talk about a big worry.
Usage: Describes a problem that keeps bothering someone.
5. Brass monkey weather
Meaning: Very cold weather
Example Sentence:
• It was brass monkey weather during the football game.
• You’ll need gloves—it’s brass monkey weather outside.
Other ways to say: Freezing, icy cold
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old Navy slang about cannonballs and cold weather.
Usage: Used mostly in winter to describe cold days.
6. Monkey see, monkey do
Meaning: Copying someone without thinking
Example Sentence:
• My little brother repeated everything I did—monkey see, monkey do.
• The puppy followed me everywhere. Monkey see, monkey do.
Other ways to say: Imitate, copycat
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how monkeys mimic actions.
Usage: Used when someone copies another person.
7. I’ll be a monkey’s uncle
Meaning: Surprised by something
Example Sentence:
• Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! You cleaned your room!
• He actually passed the test? I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
Other ways to say: I can’t believe it, No way
Fun Fact/Origin: Started in the U.S. as a funny way to show shock.
Usage: Used when something surprising happens.
8. Monkey suit
Meaning: A formal or fancy outfit
Example Sentence:
• He wore a monkey suit to the wedding.
• I hate wearing a monkey suit to fancy dinners.
Other ways to say: Tuxedo, dress clothes
Fun Fact/Origin: Called this because people feel stiff and awkward in them.
Usage: Used when talking about formal clothes.
9. Grease monkey
Meaning: A person who fixes cars
Example Sentence:
• My cousin is a grease monkey at the local garage.
• Grease monkeys keep our cars running.
Other ways to say: Mechanic, car tech
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from mechanics getting greasy from engines.
Usage: Common in the U.S. when talking about people who work on cars.
10. Monkey with something
Meaning: To mess with or try to fix something without skill
Example Sentence:
• Don’t monkey with the TV—it’ll break.
• He monkeyed with the wires and made it worse.
Other ways to say: Tamper with, fiddle with
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how monkeys mess with things out of curiosity.
Usage: Used when someone changes something and causes problems.
11. Monkey’s paw
Meaning: A wish that brings trouble
Example Sentence:
• Getting that job felt like a monkey’s paw—it caused more problems.
• His wish came true, but it turned out like a monkey’s paw.
Other ways to say: Bad luck wish, tricky gift
Fun Fact/Origin: From a spooky story about a magical monkey’s paw.
Usage: Used when something seems good at first but turns out bad.
12. Monkey trick
Meaning: A sneaky or playful prank
Example Sentence:
• He pulled a monkey trick and switched our seats.
• April Fools’ Day is full of monkey tricks.
Other ways to say: Prank, joke
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from monkeys being known for playing tricks.
Usage: Used to describe light, sneaky mischief.
13. Monkey mind
Meaning: A busy or restless mind
Example Sentence:
• I couldn’t focus—my monkey mind kept jumping around.
• Her monkey mind kept her awake all night.
Other ways to say: Racing thoughts, scattered brain
Fun Fact/Origin: A term from Buddhism about jumping thoughts like monkeys.
Usage: Used when someone can’t stop thinking about too many things.
14. Monkey wrench in the works
Meaning: A problem that messes up a plan
Example Sentence:
• The rain threw a monkey wrench in our picnic.
• A flat tire put a monkey wrench in our road trip.
Other ways to say: Problem, obstacle
Fun Fact/Origin: A monkey wrench is a tool; when it’s in a machine, it breaks it.
Usage: Used when something unexpected ruins plans.
15. Monkeys might fly out of my butt
Meaning: Something that will never happen
Example Sentence:
• Sure, I’ll clean my room—when monkeys fly out of my butt.
• You think he’ll do his chores? Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt.
Other ways to say: Not going to happen, no way
Fun Fact/Origin: A funny and silly way to say “never.”
Usage: Used when someone is being sarcastic.
16. Make a monkey out of someone
Meaning: To make someone look silly
Example Sentence:
• The prank made a monkey out of the teacher.
• I felt like a monkey when I tripped on stage.
Other ways to say: Embarrass, fool
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys are often linked to silliness.
Usage: Used when someone is tricked or embarrassed.
17. Monkey cage
Meaning: A noisy or wild place
Example Sentence:
• The classroom turned into a monkey cage after recess.
• The birthday party was a real monkey cage.
Other ways to say: Chaos, wild place
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to the noisy cages monkeys are kept in at zoos.
Usage: Used to describe loud, wild places.
18. Monkey tail
Meaning: A curved mustache
Example Sentence:
• His mustache curled like a monkey tail.
• He shaped his beard into a monkey tail for fun.
Other ways to say: Curly mustache
Fun Fact/Origin: Looks like a monkey’s tail wrapped around.
Usage: Used to describe facial hair styles.
19. Cheeky monkey
Meaning: Someone playful or slightly rude in a fun way
Example Sentence:
• You cheeky monkey! Don’t steal my fries.
• That kid’s a cheeky monkey, always teasing.
Other ways to say: Sassy, playful
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in British English but known in the U.S. too.
Usage: Used for kids or friends who act silly or daring.
20. Monkey act
Meaning: A silly or attention-getting performance
Example Sentence:
• He put on a monkey act at the school play.
• That was a total monkey act during lunch.
Other ways to say: Show-off, clowning
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from trained monkeys performing tricks.
Usage: Used when someone behaves for laughs or attention.
21. Monkey cage crazy
Meaning: Acting wild or out of control
Example Sentence:
• The kids went monkey cage crazy after the movie.
• It was monkey cage crazy in the gym during dodgeball.
Other ways to say: Out of hand, wild
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to excited monkeys in a cage.
Usage: Describes out-of-control fun or chaos.
22. Monkey flip
Meaning: A fast change or reversal
Example Sentence:
• He pulled a monkey flip and changed his mind.
• Her answer did a monkey flip after hearing the prize.
Other ways to say: Quick change, sudden turn
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by how monkeys flip and swing quickly.
Usage: Used when someone changes suddenly.
23. Monkey face
Meaning: A funny or silly face
Example Sentence:
• She made a monkey face to make the baby laugh.
• He stuck out his tongue and made a monkey face.
Other ways to say: Goofy face, silly look
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to playful expressions like monkeys.
Usage: Common when kids are being silly.
24. Monkey bite
Meaning: A playful nibble or mark
Example Sentence:
• She gave him a monkey bite on his arm.
• That red spot looks like a monkey bite.
Other ways to say: Hickey, small nip
Fun Fact/Origin: Sometimes used as slang among kids or teens.
Usage: Describes playful or teasing bites.
25. Monkey crawl
Meaning: Moving like a monkey on all fours
Example Sentence:
• The baby did a monkey crawl across the carpet.
• He monkey-crawled under the table to hide.
Other ways to say: Crawl, scramble
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by how monkeys move on the ground.
Usage: Used for kids or pets crawling playfully.
26. Monkey dance
Meaning: A silly or pointless show of anger or action
Example Sentence:
• He did a monkey dance when he lost the video game.
• No need for a monkey dance, it’s just a mistake.
Other ways to say: Make a scene, act out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from trained monkeys performing silly dances.
Usage: Used when someone makes a big deal over nothing.
27. Monkey jump
Meaning: A fast and sudden movement
Example Sentence:
• The cat did a monkey jump off the couch.
• He monkey-jumped into the pool.
Other ways to say: Leap, pounce
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by how monkeys leap from tree to tree.
Usage: Describes quick jumping or springing.
28. Monkey climb
Meaning: To climb something with skill and speed
Example Sentence:
• He did a monkey climb up the tree.
• She monkey-climbed onto the roof to get the ball.
Other ways to say: Climb fast, scramble up
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys are natural climbers—fast and smart.
Usage: Used when someone climbs quickly like a monkey.
29. Monkey talk
Meaning: Nonsense or silly talk
Example Sentence:
• Stop that monkey talk and speak clearly.
• That sounds like monkey talk to me.
Other ways to say: Nonsense, babble
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the chattering sounds monkeys make.
Usage: Used when someone says silly or confusing things.
30. Monkey in the middle
Meaning: The one stuck between two others
Example Sentence:
• I was the monkey in the middle during the game.
• He felt like the monkey in the middle of their argument.
Other ways to say: Caught in between
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the children’s game where one person is trapped between two.
Usage: Used when someone is stuck between two sides or choices.
31. Monkey show
Meaning: A silly or chaotic event
Example Sentence:
• That meeting turned into a monkey show real quick.
• The dinner was a total monkey show with all that mess.
Other ways to say: Circus, mess
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how monkey performances can be wild.
Usage: Used when things get out of control or silly.
32. Monkey see, monkey want
Meaning: Wanting something just because someone else has it
Example Sentence:
• She bought that dress because of monkey see, monkey want.
• He didn’t need a phone—just monkey see, monkey want.
Other ways to say: Copycat wants, jealous grab
Fun Fact/Origin: A twist on “monkey see, monkey do.”
Usage: Used when someone wants things others have.
33. Monkey’s chance in a lion’s den
Meaning: A very slim chance of winning or surviving
Example Sentence:
• He had a monkey’s chance in a lion’s den trying to beat the champion.
• That team had no chance—like a monkey in a lion’s den.
Other ways to say: No shot, impossible odds
Fun Fact/Origin: Compares weak versus strong in a fun way.
Usage: Used when someone has no chance of success.
34. Monkey’s lunch
Meaning: A messy or mixed-up situation
Example Sentence:
• That science project turned into a monkey’s lunch.
• The room was a monkey’s lunch after the sleepover.
Other ways to say: Mess, chaos
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to how monkeys eat in a wild, messy way.
Usage: Used to describe disorganized or crazy events.
35. Monkey time
Meaning: Time to act silly or take a break
Example Sentence:
• After homework, it’s monkey time!
• We had some monkey time before bed.
Other ways to say: Fun time, play time
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from kids being wild like monkeys during playtime.
Usage: Used to describe fun or silly breaks.
36. Like chasing a monkey
Meaning: A hard and wild thing to control
Example Sentence:
• Getting him to do chores is like chasing a monkey.
• The dog ran off—it was like chasing a monkey.
Other ways to say: Tough to catch, wild
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys move quickly and don’t like to be caught.
Usage: Describes difficult or wild situations.
37. Monkey giggle
Meaning: A high-pitched, silly laugh
Example Sentence:
• Her monkey giggle made the class laugh too.
• That monkey giggle gave her away in hide-and-seek.
Other ways to say: Giggly laugh, squeaky laugh
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to the sharp laughs monkeys sometimes make.
Usage: Used to describe a fun or silly laugh.
38. Monkey teeth
Meaning: A wide or funny smile
Example Sentence:
• He showed his monkey teeth after the joke.
• Her monkey teeth grin made everyone smile.
Other ways to say: Big grin, goofy smile
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to the way monkeys show their teeth in play.
Usage: Used when someone smiles widely or goofily.
39. Monkey flip-out
Meaning: An angry or wild outburst
Example Sentence:
• He did a monkey flip-out after losing the game.
• The coach had a monkey flip-out on the sidelines.
Other ways to say: Tantrum, freak-out
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to wild movements like a monkey’s.
Usage: Used when someone gets upset in a loud or silly way.
40. Monkey shake
Meaning: A silly or goofy handshake
Example Sentence:
• We made up a monkey shake just for fun.
• Their monkey shake included jumping and clapping.
Other ways to say: Secret shake, silly greeting
Fun Fact/Origin: Often made up by kids or friends.
Usage: Used when talking about a fun, personal greeting.
41. Monkey climb the ranks
Meaning: To move up quickly, like in school or work
Example Sentence:
• She monkey climbed the ranks to class president.
• He monkey climbed from dishwasher to chef.
Other ways to say: Move up fast, rise quickly
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys climb fast, so it became a way to show rising quickly.
Usage: Used when someone gains position or success fast.
42. Monkey pull
Meaning: A strong tug or pull
Example Sentence:
• That wagon needed a monkey pull to get uphill.
• He monkey-pulled the rope until it snapped.
Other ways to say: Hard tug, strong yank
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to monkeys’ surprising strength.
Usage: Used to describe a big, strong pull.
43. Monkey hop
Meaning: A fun or fast little jump
Example Sentence:
• The kids monkey-hopped from tile to tile.
• She monkey-hopped over the puddle.
Other ways to say: Skip, bounce
Fun Fact/Origin: Describes playful, bouncy movements like monkeys.
Usage: Used to describe happy jumping.
44. Monkey hug
Meaning: A tight, wrap-around hug
Example Sentence:
• She gave her mom a monkey hug after school.
• That monkey hug nearly knocked me over!
Other ways to say: Big hug, bear hug
Fun Fact/Origin: Like how monkeys wrap arms and legs around you.
Usage: Used for tight or clingy hugs.
45. Monkey beat
Meaning: A steady, fun rhythm or drumming
Example Sentence:
• He tapped a monkey beat on the desk with pencils.
• The drummer kept a monkey beat going during music class.
Other ways to say: Rhythm, drum tap
Fun Fact/Origin: Monkeys love rhythm and drumming.
Usage: Used when someone keeps a steady or fun beat.
Quiz: Idioms About Monkeys
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. These questions test how well you understand monkey idioms. Pick the option that best explains the meaning. Use what you’ve learned from the examples.
Question Key
1. What does “monkey business” mean?
A) A school project
B) Silly or dishonest behavior
C) A zoo trip
2. If someone “monkeys around,” what are they doing?
A) Acting silly or wasting time
B) Going to the circus
C) Eating bananas
3. What does “more fun than a barrel of monkeys” describe?
A) A boring event
B) Something that is super fun
C) A quiet time
4. If you have a “monkey on your back,” what does it mean?
A) You are riding a monkey
B) You have a toy monkey
C) You have a problem that won’t go away
5. What is “monkey see, monkey do” about?
A) Playing a game
B) Copying someone else
C) Talking to a monkey
6. What is a “grease monkey”?
A) A monkey that eats oil
B) A person who fixes cars
C) A toy monkey
7. If someone says “I’ll be a monkey’s uncle,” what do they mean?
A) They are angry
B) They are shocked
C) They are sleepy
8. What does “make a monkey out of someone” mean?
A) Give them a costume
B) Make them dance
C) Make them look silly
9. If someone has a “monkey mind,” what is it like?
A) Calm and quiet
B) Busy and full of thoughts
C) Empty and blank
10. What does “throw a monkey wrench in the works” mean?
A) Fix something
B) Make something better
C) Mess up a plan
11. What does “monkey suit” refer to?
A) A costume for Halloween
B) A fancy outfit or tuxedo
C) A monkey in pajamas
12. What is a “monkey hug”?
A) A quick high five
B) A tight wrap-around hug
C) A wave from far away
13. If a room is a “monkey cage,” what does that mean?
A) It’s very neat
B) It’s very noisy and wild
C) It has animals
14. What does it mean to be the “monkey in the middle”?
A) You’re part of a monkey group
B) You’re stuck between two people or sides
C) You’re standing in the zoo
15. If something is “monkey time,” what’s happening?
A) It’s bedtime
B) It’s time to eat
C) It’s time for fun and being silly
Answer Key
- B – Silly or dishonest behavior
- A – Acting silly or wasting time
- B – Something that is super fun
- C – You have a problem that won’t go away
- B – Copying someone else
- B – A person who fixes cars
- B – They are shocked
- C – Make them look silly
- B – Busy and full of thoughts
- C – Mess up a plan
- B – A fancy outfit or tuxedo
- B – A tight wrap-around hug
- B – It’s very noisy and wild
- B – You’re stuck between two people or sides
- C – It’s time for fun and being silly
Wrapping Up
Monkey idioms are fun, silly, and easy to remember. In the USA, people use these sayings to talk about problems, fun, or even wild behavior. They help make stories more exciting and easier to understand.
Whether it’s “monkeying around” or having a “monkey on your back,” these phrases add color to everyday talk. Try using one or two next time you’re with friends or writing a story. It’ll make your words jump, climb, and swing—just like a monkey.
