Clichés "to Avoid Like the Plague"

A cliché is a phrase or expression that has been repeated so often it has lost its significance. Since good writing is fresh and new, it is best to avoid clichés when you write. If you have heard it before, find a better way to say it!!

The Writing Tutor has started a list of clichés. If you know of a cliché that is not on this list, send it in.



avoid (something) like the plague


the whole nine yards


bite the bullet


in a nut shell


at long last


white as a ghost


white as a sheet


pale as a ghost


pale as a sheet



hit the nail on the head

climbed like a monkey


raining cats and dogs

no use crying over spilled milk

straight as an arrow

high as a kite


like a well-oiled machine


in-your-face


dead as a doornail


faster than the speed of light

as light as a feather

fought an uphill battle


sadder but wiser


blind as a bat


dumb as an ox


quiet as a mouse


slow as a turtle


slept like a baby


free as a bird


stubborn as a mule


purring like a kitten


man's best friend (ref. to dogs)


since the dawn of time


as easy as stealing candy from a baby


as blue as the ocean (or the sky)


as green as grass

calm before the storm

roses are red, violets are blue...


as cute as a button

selling like hotcakes

pack rat (ref. to someone who keeps everything)

a broken record

gift of gab


last but not least


as sick as a dog


as right as rain

a whirlwind vacation (ref. to traveling to a lot of places in a short period of time)


knock on wood


in the heat of the moment


smart as a whip


little white lie


It was like time stood still.


Been there. Done that.

like an open book

easy as pie

little white lie

calm before the storm

as old as time

playful as a puppy

time stood still

as happy as a clam

You may notice that many of these clichés are figures of speech called similes!

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