Total Phrases- 4535
1 of 402

In-positive / Relief url

Getting a bonus from work to pay off loans

  1. We nipped it in the bud.
  2. It happened just in the nick of time.
  3. That takes a big load off of my mind.
  4. Thank goodness for little things.
  5. It’s just what the doctor ordered.
  6. We were saved just by the skin on our teeth.
  7. Things will finally get back to normal.
  8. When I heard the news, I breathed a sigh of relief.
  9. Our ship has finally come in.

Getting a bonus from work to pay off loans

2 of 402

In-neutral / Caution url

A publisher given a story that might be libelous

  1. I just can’t chance it.
  2. I’m going to treat it with kid gloves.
  3. It could blow sky high.
  4. Let’s not rush into things.
  5. I may be sitting on a time bomb.
  6. One option is for is for me to just wait it out.
  7. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
  8. It’s best if I wait until the whole thing blows over.
  9. I just don’t feel like bucking the system.
  10. I’m inclined to just tiptoe around the whole situation.
  11. I think if I got involved in any way I would be playing with fire.
  12. My gut feeling is that I should just leave it well enough alone.
  13. The fact that no one else wants to do it is not a good sign.
  14. I don't know the person involved from a hole in the wall, and I think I should regard that as a warning signal.

A publisher given a story that might be libelous

3 of 402

In-negative / Confusion url

Being a victim of a robbery

  1. I haven’t the faintest idea what happened.
  2. OK, now what do I do?
  3. I don’t know what to say.
  4. It’s hard to believe.
  5. I feel totally disoriented.
  6. I'm shell-shocked.
  7. What happened is weird, and can’t be explained so easily.
  8. This really messed up my schedule, but I’ll do what I can to get back to a semblance of normalcy.
  9. What was that all about?
  10. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
  11. How did that happen?

Being a victim of a robbery

4 of 402

In-positive / Realizing url

Realizing that the maid has been stealing money

  1. There’s no way around it.
  2. I hate to admit it.
  3. It slipped out of her mouth and she showed his true colors.
  4. I now see her as she really is.
  5. I’ve had a hunch for the longest time.
  6. It’s finally out in the clear for everyone to see.
  7. She finally let the cat out of the bag and told us what really happened.
  8. I heard it through the grape vine.
  9. I suspected as much.
  10. I should have known.
  11. I know it sounds far-fetched, but I kid you not.
  12. Perhaps I should have seen that coming.
  13. In retrospect, I was blind as a bat.

Realizing that the maid has been stealing money

5 of 402

Out-positive / Agreement url

Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?

  1. The rest is more than enough for me.
  2. No problem.
  3. I don’t mind at all.
  4. That’s fine by me.
  5. It’s my pleasure.
  6. Be my guest.

Can I have your second scoop of ice cream?

6 of 402

In-positive / Confidence url

Husband telling his tired wife he will make dinner

  1. You let me worry about that.
  2. I can handle it.
  3. Let me handle this.
  4. Don’t you worry about a thing.
  5. Just leave it to me.
  6. This is just my cup of tea.
  7. You’re in good hands.

Husband telling his tired wife he will make dinner

7 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Be Resourceful

  1. Try to find a clever solution that would be like killing two birds with one stone.
  2. Here's an idea that you might find useful.
  3. Fight fire with fire.
  4. You should have thought of that before, but now you'll have to make up for lost time.
  5. Hold onto it, because you never know when it will come in handy.
  6. Drink some coffee, or take a quick nap, and that might perk you up.
  7. If you put your thinking cap on, maybe you’ll come up with a creative solution.
  8. Rise to the occasion.
  9. Put your thinking cap on.
  10. Try to come up with an 'out-of-the-box' solution.
  11. I came up with idea from out of the blue.
  12. I think that a solution to this problem might require a paradigm shift, a whole new way of looking at the situation.
  13. Ahah!

Be Resourceful

8 of 402

In-negative / Explaining url

Being late for work

  1. I’ve had one of those days.
  2. I lost all track of time.
  3. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
  4. It’s a long story.
  5. It’s just not my day.
  6. I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.
  7. It was just one thing after another.
  8. Before I knew it, more time had passed than I had anticipated.
  9. It’s the last thing in the world that I thought was going to happen.
  10. I have no excuse for myself.
  11. I just don't have any sense of time.

Being late for work

9 of 402

Out-neutral / Advice url

Examine-2

  1. Get both sides of the story.
  2. There’s more to it than that.
  3. There’s more to it that meets the eye.
  4. Take note of it.
  5. Get to the root of the problem.
  6. Keep your eyes peeled.
  7. You’ll see.
  8. A picture is worth a thousand words

Examine-2

10 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Student work on a term-paper

  1. This deserves my total focus and undivided attention.
  2. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it and feel more familiar with the whole topic.
  3. I’ll get it done in no time at all.
  4. I’m going to hit the ground running.
  5. The task I faced was difficult, but I rose to the challenge.
  6. We’re wrapping it up.
  7. There’s no time like the present.
  8. Stay the course.
  9. I really have my work cut out for me.

Student work on a term-paper

11 of 402

In-positive / Determination url

Lost in the woods

  1. I’m not giving up so easily.
  2. That’s a risk I’m just going to have to take.
  3. I better get out of here soon.
  4. I’ve got to get a handle on the situation.
  5. OK, let’s get the heck out of here.
  6. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open.
  7. Time is of the essence.
  8. Let’s get the hell out of here.

Lost in the woods

12 of 402

Out-positive / Encouragement url

To a child who finished their homework

  1. Now that didn’t take so long, did it?
  2. Good for you.
  3. That sounds just great.
  4. Perfect!
  5. That was a very admirable thing to do.
  6. Awesome!
  7. Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?
  8. Aren’t you glad that’s over with?
  9. Don’t you admit that it looked like it was going to be much harder than it turned out to be?
  10. See what you are capable of doing when you put your mind to it?
  11. That's my girl!

To a child who finished their homework