Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the literal words you say. People use them every day to make talking and writing much more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn a wonderful collection of idioms related to free time and relaxation.
In this lesson, we’ll look at Idioms that mean having leisure, taking a break, and enjoying hobbies. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Free Time
1. Kick back
Meaning: This idiom means relaxing, resting, and taking it easy after working hard.
For Example: After finishing all my homework, I love to kick back and watch a fun cartoon. / The family decided to kick back on the porch during the sunny afternoon.
Other Ways to Say: Relax completely / Take it easy
2. Wind down
Meaning: This idiom means slowly relaxing and calming your mind before bedtime or after a long day.
For Example: Reading a good book helps me wind down before going to sleep at night. / Listening to soft music is a great way to wind down after soccer practice.
Other Ways to Say: Calm down / Relax slowly
3. Have time on your hands
Meaning: This idiom means having plenty of free time and nothing urgent to do.
For Example: During summer vacation, we finally have plenty of time on our hands to play outside. / He finished his chores early and had too much time on his hands.
Other Ways to Say: Be free / Have spare time
4. Kill time
Meaning: This idiom means doing something simple to pass the minutes while you are waiting for an event.
For Example: We played a quick card game to kill time before the movie started. / Reading comic books in the lobby helped her kill time.
Other Ways to Say: Pass the hours / Wait around
5. At your leisure
Meaning: This idiom means doing an activity whenever you have free time without rushing.
For Example: You can finish reading this library book at your leisure over the weekend. / Feel free to complete the puzzle at your leisure.
Other Ways to Say: When free / Without rush
6. Burn some free time
Meaning: This idiom means spending your leisure hours doing fun, relaxing activities.
For Example: We like to burn some free time by riding our bicycles in the park. / He decided to burn some free time building a tall Lego tower.
Other Ways to Say: Spend spare time / Use leisure hours
7. Take a breather
Meaning: This idiom means stopping briefly to rest and catch your breath during a tiring activity.
For Example: After running three laps in gym class, we stopped to take a breather. / Let us take a breather from cleaning our rooms for ten minutes.
Other Ways to Say: Take a rest / Pause briefly
8. Footloose and fancy-free
Meaning: This idiom describes having no responsibilities, worries, or duties to tie you down.
For Example: During summer camp, the kids felt footloose and fancy-free all day long. / Going on vacation makes you feel footloose and fancy-free.
Other Ways to Say: Carefree and free / Without worries
9. On a break
Meaning: This idiom means pausing work or school tasks to rest and relax for a short moment.
For Example: The workers sat on the bench while they were on a break from building. / We had a snack while on a break from studying math.
Other Ways to Say: Resting briefly / Pausing work
10. Ease off
Meaning: This idiom means slowing down or becoming less strict and demanding.
For Example: The rain started to ease off just in time for our afternoon soccer game. / Mom decided to ease off on chores so we could play outside.
Other Ways to Say: Slow down / Let up
11. Catch your breath
Meaning: This idiom means resting after physical activity so you can breathe normally again.
For Example: Sit down on the grass and catch your breath after playing tag. / He stopped running to catch his breath before shooting the basketball.
Other Ways to Say: Rest up / Recover breath
12. Lay low
Meaning: This idiom means staying quietly out of sight and relaxing without making noise.
For Example: After a busy week of school, I just want to lay low at home. / The puppy decided to lay low under the sofa during the loud storm.
Other Ways to Say: Stay quiet / Keep hidden
13. Put your feet up
Meaning: This idiom means relaxing comfortably by resting your legs on a chair or couch.
For Example: Dad loves to put his feet up and read the newspaper after work. / Sit down and put your feet up after helping clean the kitchen.
Other Ways to Say: Relax comfortably / Rest your legs
14. Turn off your mind
Meaning: This idiom means stopping serious thinking to relax and enjoy simple entertainment.
For Example: Watching funny animal videos helps me turn off my mind after tests. / Sometimes it is nice to turn off your mind and just listen to music.
Other Ways to Say: Stop thinking / Clear your head
15. Free as a bird
Meaning: This idiom describes feeling completely relaxed, independent, and unrestricted.
For Example: Running through the open meadow made her feel as free as a bird. / Once exams finished, the students felt as free as birds.
Other Ways to Say: Completely free / Totally unhindered
16. Out to pasture
Meaning: This idiom jokingly refers to retiring or taking a long, permanent rest from hard work.
For Example: Grandpa joked that he was heading out to pasture when he retired. / The old lawnmower was sent out to pasture behind the shed.
Other Ways to Say: Retired / Taking a long rest
17. Time off
Meaning: This idiom means scheduled days or hours away from school, work, or regular duties.
For Example: We get a nice long time off during winter holiday break. / Dad requested some time off to take us to the amusement park.
Other Ways to Say: Vacation time / Days away
18. Hang out
Meaning: This idiom means spending free time relaxing casually with your friends.
For Example: We love to hang out at the park after finishing our homework. / The kids gathered in the yard to hang out and play games.
Other Ways to Say: Socialize / Spend time together
19. Take five
Meaning: This idiom means taking a short five-minute rest from what you are doing.
For Example: The teacher told us to take five and stretch our legs during class. / Let us take five before starting our next painting project.
Other Ways to Say: Take a short break / Pause for minutes
20. Have a breather
Meaning: This idiom means pausing an activity to take a quick rest and relax.
For Example: We stopped climbing the hill to have a breather and drink water. / Take a breather if your hands get tired from drawing.
Other Ways to Say: Pause for rest / Take a quick break
21. Idling around
Meaning: This idiom means spending your free time doing nothing productive or lazy.
For Example: Instead of playing video games, stop idling around and read a book. / We spent the rainy afternoon idling around the living room.
Other Ways to Say: Loafing about / Wasting time lazily
22. Breathe easy
Meaning: This idiom means feeling relaxed, safe, and free from worry or stress.
For Example: Once the big test was over, we could finally breathe easy. / You can breathe easy now that your lost toy has been found.
Other Ways to Say: Feel relieved / Relax safely
23. Have a field day
Meaning: This idiom means having an exceptionally fun time doing whatever you want.
For Example: The kids had a field day playing with all the new toys in the store. / My dog had a field day running through the tall autumn leaves.
Other Ways to Say: Have a great time / Enjoy immensely
24. Let your hair down
Meaning: This idiom means acting relaxed, playful, and carefree without worrying about rules.
For Example: Parties are a great place to let your hair down and dance. / She loves to let her hair down and paint silly pictures on weekends.
Other Ways to Say: Relax completely / Be carefree
25. Lounge around
Meaning: This idiom means spending free time lying or sitting lazily on furniture.
For Example: Sundays are perfect for lounging around in your pajamas all morning. / The cat spent the entire sunny afternoon lounging around on the rug.
Other Ways to Say: Relax lazily / Sit about
26. Play hooky from work
Meaning: This idiom means taking unauthorized free time away from your responsibilities.
For Example: The cartoon characters joked about playing hooky from their daily tasks. / You cannot play hooky from your chores if you want dessert.
Other Ways to Say: Skip duties / Avoid work
27. Slow down
Meaning: This idiom means reducing your speed and taking time to relax or observe things.
For Example: Slow down while reading so you do not miss any fun details. / We need to slow down and enjoy our weekend walk in the park.
Other Ways to Say: Take it slower / Ease up
28. Take it easy
Meaning: This idiom means resting, staying calm, and not pushing yourself too hard.
For Example: The doctor told him to take it easy for a few days after catching a cold. / Enjoy your Saturday and take it easy!
Other Ways to Say: Relax / Rest up
29. Time on your hands
Meaning: This idiom means having extra free hours with no specific plans made.
For Example: Having a rainy afternoon meant we had plenty of time on our hands. / What do you like to do when you have time on your hands?
Other Ways to Say: Spare hours / Unplanned time
30. Unwind
Meaning: This idiom means relaxing your body and mind after a stressful or busy day.
For Example: Puzzles help my grandma unwind after gardening in the yard. / We watched a fun movie to help us unwind before bed.
Other Ways to Say: Decompress / Relax
31. Vacation mode
Meaning: This idiom describes feeling completely relaxed and free from everyday duties.
For Example: As soon as we arrived at the beach, we went straight into vacation mode. / Leaving school on Friday afternoon puts everyone in vacation mode.
Other Ways to Say: Relaxed mindset / Holiday feeling
32. Watch the world go by
Meaning: This idiom means sitting quietly and relaxing while observing people and traffic pass.
For Example: We sat on the park bench eating ice cream and watching the world go by. / Sometimes it is nice to just sit on the porch and watch the world go by.
Other Ways to Say: Observe quietly / Relax and watch
33. Daydream
Meaning: This idiom means letting your mind wander into pleasant thoughts during free time.
For Example: He started to daydream about flying a spaceship during art class. / Gazing out the window lets you daydream about summer adventures.
Other Ways to Say: Muse pleasantly / Let mind wander
34. Catch some rays
Meaning: This idiom means sitting outside in the sunshine during your free time.
For Example: The cat walked over to the patio to catch some rays of sunshine. / We sat on the grass during recess to catch some rays.
Other Ways to Say: Sunbathe / Sit in sun
35. Take a holiday
Meaning: This idiom means taking an extended period of free time to travel and rest.
For Example: Our family plans to take a holiday in the mountains this summer. / Everyone deserves to take a holiday after working hard all year.
Other Ways to Say: Go on vacation / Travel away
36. Tune out
Meaning: This idiom means ignoring outside noises or distractions to relax peacefully.
For Example: Putting on headphones helps me tune out the noise and read in peace. / He likes to tune out the television while drawing pictures.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore distractions / Block out noise
37. Go off the grid
Meaning: This idiom means stopping all technology use to enjoy quiet, tech-free free time.
For Example: During our camping trip, we decided to go off the grid for the weekend. / Turning off your phone is a fun way to go off the grid.
Other Ways to Say: Disconnect / Unplug
38. Breathtaking pause
Meaning: This idiom means stopping briefly during a fun activity to enjoy a peaceful moment.
For Example: We took a breathtaking pause at the top of the hiking trail. / That quiet moment in the garden felt like a breathtaking pause.
Other Ways to Say: Peaceful stop / Calm break
39. Sleep in
Meaning: This idiom means staying in bed later than usual because you have free time.
For Example: On Saturday mornings, I love to sleep in until nine o’clock. / Having no school on Sunday means we can all sleep in.
Other Ways to Say: Stay in bed / Wake up late
40. Lounge lizard
Meaning: This idiom playfully describes someone who spends all their free time relaxing lazily.
For Example: My lazy cat acts like a true lounge lizard on the warm sofa. / Stop being a lounge lizard and come play catch outside!
Other Ways to Say: Lazy person / Couch enthusiast
41. Take a time out
Meaning: This idiom means taking a short break from an activity to rest or calm down.
For Example: The coach told the soccer players to take a time out for water. / I needed to take a time out from my puzzle to rest my eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Take a break / Pause activity
42. Off duty
Meaning: This idiom means you are finished with your work and free to do whatever you like.
For Example: Once my chores are done, I am officially off duty for the day. / The camp counselor felt great once she was off duty.
Other Ways to Say: Finished working / Free of tasks
43. Leisurely stroll
Meaning: This idiom means taking a slow, relaxing walk with no rush or urgent destination.
For Example: We took a leisurely stroll through the park after eating dinner. / Walking the puppy required a leisurely stroll around the block.
Other Ways to Say: Slow walk / Relaxed wandering
44. Foot up
Meaning: This idiom means sitting back to rest your feet during a relaxing break.
For Example: After walking all day at the zoo, I sat with my foot up on the chair. / Sit back with your foot up and enjoy the movie.
Other Ways to Say: Rest feet / Sit comfortably
45. Ease the pace
Meaning: This idiom means slowing down how fast you are doing things to feel more relaxed.
For Example: We decided to ease the pace of our bike ride so everyone could keep up. / Slowing down your schedule helps you ease the pace of life.
Other Ways to Say: Slow down / Reduce speed
46. Free hour
Meaning: This idiom refers to a sixty-minute period of time where you have no assigned tasks.
For Example: We have a free hour after lunch to draw or read books. / Having a free hour on Tuesday lets me practice my guitar.
Other Ways to Say: Spare hour / Open time slot
47. Me time
Meaning: This idiom means setting aside personal free time to relax and do things you enjoy.
For Example: Reading a book in my room is my favorite way to spend some me time. / Everyone needs a little me time after a busy week at school.
Other Ways to Say: Personal time / Solo relaxation
48. Time to spare
Meaning: This idiom means having extra free time before a deadline or event arrives.
For Example: We arrived at the movie theater early with plenty of time to spare. / Finishing my homework early left me with time to spare for games.
Other Ways to Say: Extra time / Spare minutes
49. Space out
Meaning: This idiom means letting your mind drift into a relaxed, blank state of daydreaming.
For Example: He stared out the window and began to space out during a quiet moment. / Listening to soft music always makes me space out and relax.
Other Ways to Say: Daydream / Drift away
50. Catch some Zs
Meaning: This idiom means taking a nap or sleeping during your free time.
For Example: The puppy went to the rug to catch some Zs after playing fetch. / I need to catch some Zs before our evening family party.
Other Ways to Say: Take a nap / Sleep a bit
51. Play hooky from chores
Meaning: This idiom means sneaking away from your regular responsibilities to enjoy free time.
For Example: We thought about playing hooky from chores to go climb trees. / You cannot play hooky from chores until your room is clean.
Other Ways to Say: Skip tasks / Avoid duties
52. Take a mental break
Meaning: This idiom means resting your brain by stopping schoolwork or difficult thinking.
For Example: Puzzles are fun, but sometimes you just need to take a mental break. / She closed her textbook to take a mental break outside.
Other Ways to Say: Rest your brain / Mental pause
53. Go offline
Meaning: This idiom means disconnecting from computers and phones to enjoy peaceful free time.
For Example: On Sunday mornings, our family likes to go offline and play board games. / Going offline helps you enjoy nature without screen distractions.
Other Ways to Say: Unplug / Disconnect digitally
54. Rest your eyes
Meaning: This idiom means closing your eyes for a few minutes to relax and recharge.
For Example: Lie down on the couch and rest your eyes after reading for hours. / Closing your computer screen lets you rest your eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Close eyes / Take a rest
55. Quiet time
Meaning: This idiom refers to a peaceful period dedicated to calm activities like reading or resting.
For Example: The afternoon schedule includes thirty minutes of quiet time for everyone. / My bedroom is a wonderful spot for daily quiet time.
Other Ways to Say: Peaceful period / Calm hour
56. Take a breather outside
Meaning: This idiom means stepping out into the fresh air to relax for a few moments.
For Example: Let us step out on the porch and take a breather outside. / Taking a breather outside clears your mind during study sessions.
Other Ways to Say: Step out / Fresh air break
57. Drift away
Meaning: This idiom means relaxing so deeply that your thoughts wander off to a peaceful place.
For Example: Listening to ocean sounds on the radio made him drift away. / She let her mind drift away while lying on the grass.
Other Ways to Say: Daydream / Drift off
58. Savor the moment
Meaning: This idiom means enjoying your free time slowly and appreciating every happy second.
For Example: Sit on the porch and savor the moment while eating your ice cream. / Vacation goes by fast, so be sure to savor the moment.
Other Ways to Say: Enjoy fully / Relish the time
59. Float on air
Meaning: This idiom means feeling wonderfully light, relaxed, and happy during your leisure hours.
For Example: Finishing all my homework early made me feel like I was floating on air. / Winning the art prize left her floating on air all weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Feel wonderful / Be overjoyed
60. Enjoy the silence
Meaning: This idiom means relaxing and taking pleasure in a peaceful, quiet environment.
For Example: Sometimes sitting in the garden alone lets you enjoy the silence. / We turned off the radio to just enjoy the silence after a busy day.
Other Ways to Say: Appreciate quiet / Relish stillness
Exercise to Practice
- After finishing all my homework, I love to ________ and watch a fun cartoon.
- Reading a good book helps me ________ before going to sleep at night.
- During summer vacation, we finally have plenty of ________ to play outside.
- We played a quick card game to ________ before the movie started.
- You can finish reading this library book ________ over the weekend.
- We like to ________ by riding our bicycles in the park.
- After running three laps in gym class, we stopped to ________.
- During summer camp, the kids felt ________ all day long.
- The workers sat on the bench while they were ________ from building.
- The rain started to ________ just in time for our afternoon soccer game.
- Sit down on the grass and ________ after playing tag.
- After a busy week of school, I just want to ________ at home.
- Dad loves to ________ and read the newspaper after work.
- Watching funny animal videos helps me ________ after tests.
- Running through the open meadow made her feel ________.
Answer Key
- kick back
- wind down
- time on your hands
- kill time
- at your leisure
- burn some free time
- take a breather
- footloose and fancy-free
- on a break
- ease off
- catch your breath
- lay low
- put your feet up
- turn off your mind
- as free as a bird
Conclusion
Learning these idioms about free time makes understanding everyday language much more fun and meaningful. When you use these expressions, you can share ideas in a creative and colorful way. Try using some of these phrases when chatting with friends or writing stories at school. You will sound like a language expert while making your conversations lively!
