Thanksgiving Idioms

Thanksgiving idioms

Here are the Thanksgiving idioms, words, and phrases to know!

Turkey Trot

A Thanksgiving Day race or fun run. It is often held to help raise money for charity.

Talking turkey

To have a serious and direct conversation about important matters, especially during Thanksgiving gatherings.

Count your blessings

Reflect on and appreciate the good things in your life, especially during Thanksgiving.

Food coma

This is what happens when you eat too much and want to lay on the couch and sleep. This especially happens after eating turkey!

Carve out some time

Set aside time for something, often used in the context of carving a turkey during Thanksgiving dinner.

Feast your eyes

To look at something with great pleasure or admiration, just as one might feast on a delicious Thanksgiving meal.

Quit cold turkey

This means to stop doing something suddenly, for example, stop smoking.

Gravy train

An easy and profitable source of income or a situation where someone benefits without much effort, like pouring gravy over a Thanksgiving meal.

Pass the gravy

A polite way of asking someone to share or pass something, often used humorously during a meal, as you might request gravy at Thanksgiving dinner.

Stuffed like a turkey

Feeling extremely full or overindulged, similar to how a Thanksgiving turkey is stuffed with stuffing.

Break bread together

To share a meal with others, symbolizes unity, friendship, and goodwill, which is a common tradition during Thanksgiving.

The apple of my eye

Someone or something that is cherished and loved above all others, often used to express affection for family and friends during Thanksgiving.

Gobble up

To eat something quickly and eagerly, like a turkey “gobbling” up food.

Hot potato

This refers to something that you want to drop, or get rid of quickly.

Cornucopia of blessings

An abundance of good things or blessings, symbolized by the horn of plenty, often associated with Thanksgiving.

Stuffing your face

Eating a large amount of food, often used playfully to describe indulgent Thanksgiving meals.

Harvest time

A period of reaping the rewards of hard work and effort, often associated with Thanksgiving when crops are traditionally harvested.

A mixed blessing

An event that has both advantages and disadvantages.

Pilgrim’s progress

Steady and determined progress or advancement toward a goal, inspired by the perseverance of the Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving.

Give thanks from the bottom of your heart

To express gratitude sincerely and genuinely, emphasizing the depth of one’s appreciation during Thanksgiving.

I’m stuffed

I’m very full.

More Thanksgiving Resources

Here are some other Thanksgiving resources to check out:

Thanksgiving Words and Phrases: FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about these idioms, words, and phrases. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What does “Talking turkey” mean?

It means having a serious and direct conversation about important matters, often during Thanksgiving gatherings.

When might you use the idiom “Count your blessings”?

You would use it to encourage someone to reflect on and appreciate the good things in their life, especially during Thanksgiving.

What does “Stuffed like a turkey” imply?

It implies feeling extremely full or overindulged, similar to how a Thanksgiving turkey is stuffed with stuffing.

When do people often use the phrase “Carve out some time”?

They use it to suggest setting aside time for something, as is done when carving a turkey during Thanksgiving dinner.

What does the idiom “In a cranberry sauce” mean?

It means being in a difficult or sticky situation, similar to being “in a jam.”

How is the expression “Give thanks from the bottom of your heart” typically used?

It’s used to emphasize expressing gratitude sincerely and genuinely, especially during Thanksgiving.

When might you describe a situation as a “Turkey shoot”?

You’d use it to describe an easy and straightforward opportunity or task, often playfully, like shooting a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

What does “Autumn leaves are falling” symbolize?

It symbolizes the changing of seasons, often used to reflect the passage of time and life’s cycles, associated with Thanksgiving.

What is “Drumstick diplomacy” all about?

It’s the practice of using food, especially shared meals, to improve relations and foster goodwill between individuals or groups, reminiscent of Thanksgiving unity and sharing.

What’s the significance of “Harvest time” during Thanksgiving?

It signifies a period of reaping the rewards of hard work and effort, often associated with Thanksgiving when crops are traditionally harvested.

Thanksgiving words and phrases

Words and Phrases for Thanksgiving: Join the Conversation

Do you have any Thanksgiving idioms that you’d like us to add to the list? Leave a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you.