20 Essential Business Meeting Idioms
Hey there! 👋
You know what it’s like, don’t you? You’re sitting in meeting and someone says “let’s touch base later” or “let’s hash things out” – and suddenly you’re not sure what’s going on.
These little meeting idioms pop up all the time in discussions, calls, and even emails. Once you know them, everything clicks – you’ll follow along easily and start sounding like a total pro yourself.
That’s exactly why I’ve put together this handy business meeting idioms list that my students ask for most. Each idiom comes with a simple explanation, a real workplace example, and quick tips so you can start using it right away.
Go through them in your own time, try saying them out loud, and enjoy the learning process!
Teacher Rob 🙋♂️
1–5: Starting & Focusing in a Meeting
👉 Set the Stage (V)
Meaning: To get ready for something to happen.
Example: He set the stage for the presentation.
👉 Kick Things Off (V)
Meaning: To begin or start something.
Example: “I’ll kick things off by providing a summary of our agenda.”
👉 Get the Show on the Road (V)
Meaning: To begin a task or activity.
Example: “Now that everyone’s here, let’s get the show on the road.”
👉 Get Down to Business (V)
Meaning: To focus on the main topic.
Example: “Let’s finish the small talk and get down to business.”
👉 Get Down to Brass Tacks (V)
Meaning: To focus on the most important details.
Example: “Let’s get down to brass tacks and discuss the budget.”
✅ Quick Practice Quiz (1–5)
1. “He arrived early to ________ for the presentation.” (get ready)
A) set the stage
B) kick things off
C) get down to brass tacks
Answer
A — set the stage
2. “I’ll ________ by reviewing today’s agenda.” (start the meeting)
A) get the show on the road
B) stay on track
C) kick things off
Answer
C — kick things off
3. “Everyone’s here, so let’s ________.” (begin the activity now)
A) wind down
B) get the show on the road
C) touch upon
Answer
B — get the show on the road
4. “Let’s stop the small talk and ________.” (focus on the main purpose of the meeting)
A) get down to business
B) bounce ideas off each other
C) iron out the details
Answer
A — get down to business
5. “Before we continue, let’s ________ and review the key numbers.” (focus on the essential details)
A) stay in sync
B) get down to brass tacks
C) set the stage
Answer
B — get down to brass tacks
6–10: Creative Thinking & Collaboration
👉 Think Outside the Box (V)
Meaning: To consider creative or unconventional ideas.
Example: We need to think outside the box to solve this challenge.
👉 Put Heads Together (V)
Meaning: To work together on a problem.
Example: Let’s put our heads together and plan a solution.
👉 Bounce Ideas Off Each Other (V)
Meaning: To share ideas and get feedback.
Example: Feel free to bounce ideas off each other.
👉 Hash Things Out (V)
Meaning: To discuss and resolve issues.
Example: We need to hash things out and agree on the timeline.
👉 Cover All Bases (V)
Meaning: To plan for all possible outcomes.
Example: Let’s cover all bases before we submit the proposal.
Quick Practice Quiz (6–10)
6. “We need creative solutions, so let’s ________.” (try new and unusual ideas)
A) think outside the box
B) put our heads together
C) wind down
Answer
A — think outside the box
7. “Let’s ________ to find the best plan for improving customer feedback.” (think together)
A) hash things out
B) put our heads together
C) cover all bases
Answer
B — put our heads together
8. “Feel free to ________ if you want feedback on your idea.” (share ideas for discussion)
A) bounce ideas off each other
B) touch upon the topic
C) get the show on the road
Answer
A — bounce ideas off each other
9. “We should ________ and settle our differences.” (discuss issues and find agreement)
A) stay in sync
B) iron out the details
C) hash things out
Answer
C — hash things out
10. “Before we present the plan, let’s __________ and check for missing details.” (prepare for all possible situations)
A) touch upon the timeline
B) cover all bases
C) kick things off
Answer
B — cover all bases
11–15: Planning & Reviewing
👉 Stay on Track (V)
Meaning: To remain focused on the goal.
Example: Let’s stay on track and avoid side topics.
👉 Dot the I’s and Cross the T’s (V)
Meaning: To check all small details carefully.
Example: Make sure we dot the i’s and cross the t’s.
👉 Iron Out the Details (V)
Meaning: To fix small issues.
Example: We need to iron out the details before signing.
👉 Touch Upon (V)
Meaning: To mention briefly.
Example: We’ll touch upon the new changes later.
👉 Back to the Drawing Board (V)
Meaning: To start again because something failed.
Example: The plan didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board.
Quick Practice Quiz (11–15)
11. “Let’s ________ and not go off-topic during this part of the meeting.” (stay focused)
A) stay on track
B) get on board
C) wrap things up
Answer
A — stay on track
12. “Before we send the final report, we need to ________.” (check every small detail carefully)
A) think outside the box
B) dot the i’s and cross the t’s
C) wind down
Answer
B — dot the i’s and cross the t’s
13. “We should meet again tomorrow to ________ of the contract.” (solve small remaining details)
A) bounce ideas off each other
B) iron out the details
C) circle back
Answer
B — iron out the details
14. “I’ll only ________ this topic today, because we’ll discuss it fully next week.” (mention briefly)
A) touch upon
B) cover all bases
C) set the stage
Answer
A — touch upon
15. “The plan didn’t work, so it’s ________.” (start again because the idea failed)
A) back to the drawing board
B) get down to business
C) draw to a close
Answer
A — back to the drawing board
16–20: Ending a Meeting
👉 Circle Back (V)
Meaning: To return to a topic later.
Example: We’ll circle back to that point after the break.
👉 Get On Board With (V)
Meaning: To support an idea or plan.
Example: We need everyone to get on board with the new strategy.
👉 Draw to a Close (V)
Meaning: To reach the end.
Example: As we draw to a close, thanks for your ideas.
👉 Wind Down (V)
Meaning: To slowly finish or relax after activity.
Example: As the meeting winds down, let’s summarise.
👉 Wrap Things Up (V)
Meaning: To finish something.
Example: Before we wrap things up, any final questions?
👉 Stay in Sync (V)
Meaning: To work in harmony with others.
Example: It’s important that all teams stay in sync over the next week.
Quick Practice Quiz (16–20)
16. “We’ll ________ to this topic once we finish the urgent updates.” (return to it later)
A) circle back
B) cover all bases
C) put our heads together
Answer
A — circle back
17. “We need everyone to ________ the new plan if we want it to work.” (agree and support it)
A) stay on track
B) get on board with
C) kick things off
Answer
B — get on board with
18. “As the meeting begins to ________, I’d like to thank everyone for their input.” (come to an end)
A) draw to a close
B) think outside the box
C) get the show on the road
Answer
A — draw to a close
19. “The meeting will ________ after the final update from the marketing team.” (slowly end)
A) wind down
B) cover all bases
C) hash things out
Answer
A — wind down
20. “Before we ________, does anyone have any last comments?” (finish the meeting)
A) wrap things up
B) bounce ideas off each other
C) set the stage
Answer
A — wrap things up
Conclusion
There you go – a great business meeting idioms list you can start using right away!
I’m sure you’ll spot these in your next few days at work and soon be able to drop them in yourself.
Which one caught your eye the most? My favourite is “think outside the box” – it always sparks the best ideas! Let me know your favourite in the comments below, I always love hearing from you.
Happy learning,
Teacher Rob 🙋♂️
Need help learning the idioms?
Check out my 👉 Best Way to Learn Idioms Quickly Page
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