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Change Idioms

10 Change Idioms

Change Idioms and What They Mean

Change idioms talk about doing things in a new way, starting over, or facing new situations. These expressions help us describe how people or things can become different. Here are 10 useful idioms about change, what they mean, and how to use them.

Turn over a new leaf

To start fresh or begin to behave in a better way.

He stopped being late and did his homework—he turned over a new leaf.
After the holidays, I want to turn over a new leaf and eat healthier.

Change your tune

To change your opinion, usually after learning something new.

At first, she didn’t like the plan, but she changed her tune after hearing more.
He laughed at the idea, but he changed his tune when it worked.

Reinvent the wheel

To waste time creating something that already exists.

Don’t reinvent the wheel—just use the solution we already have.
He wrote new rules, but the old ones were fine. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Start from scratch

To begin again with nothing.

The recipe failed, so I had to start from scratch.
We lost the file and had to start from scratch on the project.

Roll with the punches

To stay calm and handle problems or change without getting upset.

Things didn’t go as planned, but she rolled with the punches.
You have to roll with the punches when life is hard.

Break new ground

To do something new and different for the first time.

The company is breaking new ground with its smart technology.
That movie broke new ground in special effects.

Turn the tide

To cause a big change in a situation, often from bad to good.

They were losing, but the goal turned the tide.
His speech turned the tide of public opinion.

A change of heart

To change your opinion or feelings about something.

She had a change of heart and decided to stay.
I was going to quit, but I had a change of heart.

Shake things up

To make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective.

The new manager wants to shake things up in the office.
They decided to shake things up by trying a new strategy.

Go back to the drawing board

To start over because the previous attempt failed.

Our plan didn’t work, so it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
The design was flawed, so we had to go back to the drawing board.

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