American Slang & Idioms Starting with "A"

69 entries

• A bite to eat A casual expression for a small, quick meal or light snack, often between meals.
• A catch A highly desirable person who would make an excellent romantic partner.
• A chip on your shoulder A persistent attitude of resentment or defiance, often stemming from a percei...
• A cold one Casual slang for a cold beer, commonly used in relaxed social settings.
• A couple few An imprecise quantity meaning 'a small but vague number.'
• A dime a dozen Very common and therefore not valuable; easily available.
• A drag Something or someone that is boring, tedious, or brings down the mood.
• A grand Informal shorthand for one thousand dollars, widely used in everyday speech.
• A mess of A large quantity of something, especially food; a lot of.
• A penny for your thoughts A way of asking someone what they are thinking about, especially when they se...
• A piece of work A difficult, complicated, or obnoxious person who is hard to deal with.
• A steal An exceptionally good deal; something sold at a very low price.
• A ten Someone rated 10 out of 10 in attractiveness — an extremely good-looking person.
• A ton of A very large amount of something — an emphatic way to say 'a lot.'
• A tough row to hoe A difficult task or challenging situation to deal with.
• A1 Top quality, first-rate, the best possible.
• About-face A complete reversal of direction, opinion, or policy.
• Above my pay grade A decision or responsibility that is beyond one's authority level.
• Absolute unit Something or someone impressively large, powerful, or formidable.
• Açaí bowl A thick smoothie bowl made from frozen açaí berries topped with granola, frui...
• Ace (to ace) To perform perfectly, to get the highest possible score or result.
• Ace in the hole A hidden advantage or secret resource kept in reserve.
• Ace it To perform excellently on a test, task, or challenge.
• Act your wage To only do the amount of work that matches your pay, refusing to overwork for...
• Action item A specific task assigned to someone as a result of a meeting or discussion.
• Actions speak louder than words What you do matters more than what you say; deeds are more meaningful than pr...
• Active recovery Light exercise done on rest days to promote blood flow and recovery.
• Ad-lib To improvise words or actions on the spot, deviating from the script or plan.
• Add insult to injury To make a bad situation even worse, often by being disrespectful on top of ca...
• Adulting The act of behaving like a responsible adult, especially when it feels diffic...
• Aesthetic A cohesive visual style, mood, or vibe, especially as curated on social media.
• AF Abbreviation for 'as f***,' used as an intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 've...
• AFK Away From Keyboard — indicating you're temporarily stepping away from your de...
• After-party A gathering or party that takes place after the main event or party has ended.
• Aight Alright. Okay. An abbreviated form of 'all right' used for agreement or ackno...
• Ain't A contraction for 'am not,' 'is not,' 'are not,' 'has not,' or 'have not' — w...
• Air guitar The act of pretending to play an imaginary guitar, usually when rocking out t...
• Airhead A stupid or absent-minded person — someone whose head seems to be full of air...
• Album drop The release of a new album, especially a surprise release without prior annou...
• Alignment Agreement or shared understanding between people, teams, or strategies.
• All gas, no brakes Going full speed ahead with no intention of slowing down; giving maximum effort.
• All get-out To the greatest degree; extremely. Used as an intensifier.
• All hands on deck Everyone is needed; a call for total participation in an urgent situation.
• All the things A humorous, emphatic way of saying 'everything,' often used with a verb for d...
• All-you-can-eat A restaurant or buffet where you pay a fixed price and eat as much as you want.
• Alma mater The college or university from which a person graduated.
• AMA Ask Me Anything — an open Q&A format popularized by Reddit.
• Amped up Energized, excited, or charged up with enthusiasm or adrenaline.
• And I oop— I'm caught off guard; that was unexpected and I don't know how to react.
• Angeleno A resident of Los Angeles — the official demonym for people from LA.
• Animal style A secret menu option at In-N-Out Burger with extra toppings including grilled...
• Anthem A song that represents a group, generation, or moment — a defining track that...
• Antsy Restless, impatient, or unable to sit still — fidgety with nervous energy.
• Arm candy An attractive person who accompanies someone as a date, primarily for their l...
• Armchair quarterback Someone who criticizes or offers opinions from the comfort of their couch, wi...
• As American as apple pie Something that is quintessentially American or represents core American value...
• As if! An emphatic rejection or expression of disbelief — meaning 'no way' or 'that'...
• Ashy Having dry, flaky, whitish-looking skin, especially on the elbows, knees, and...
• At ease Relax; stand comfortably; stop being so formal or tense.
• At the drop of a hat Immediately and without hesitation; willing to do something at a moment's not...
• At the end of the day A phrase meaning 'ultimately' or 'when everything is considered.'
• Ate that Performed something flawlessly — consumed the moment and left nothing behind.
• Athleisure Athletic clothing worn as everyday casual wear — yoga pants, sneakers, and sp...
• Attached at the hip Two people who are always together — inseparable.
• Aura A person's perceived social presence, coolness, or energy — often discussed a...
• Avocado toast Toasted bread topped with mashed avocado — a symbol of millennial food cultur...
• Awesome An enthusiastic expression meaning 'great,' 'wonderful,' or 'impressive.'
• Awk A casual abbreviation of 'awkward.'
• AWOL Absent Without Official Leave; missing without permission.