If you’re thinking of appearing for the IPMAT 2026, then your primary objective should be to develop familiarity with the overall syllabus. Your next step should be to create a master plan to complete the syllabus on time. From VARC, learning important idioms and phrases for IPMAT is highly essential for the aspirants. To achieve this goal, you must learn idioms and phrases from the basics to an advanced level. 

iQuanta experts suggest that every IPMAT aspirant must use memory aids, opt for conceptual understanding and assemble identical idioms for quick learning and gaining memory retention. In this blog, we’re going to discuss the important idioms and phrases for IPMAT, which will boost your understanding across multiple parameters. Side by side, we will also share the studying tips and PYQs from this topic for your practice. Let’s move ahead and share the crucial information about the common idioms and phrases that appear often every year in the IPMAT Indore, IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT question papers. 

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Why is it necessary to study important Idioms and Phrases for IPMAT?

While preparing for the IPMAT 2026, you will come across a broad range of topics from the QA, DILR and VARC. Out of all, the VARC section is the easiest, where you can score maximum marks by just enhancing your reading skills and comprehending passages with a logical approach. Idioms and phrases are an important segment of the VARC, and around 3-4 questions are asked from this section in the IPMAT Indore, IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT. Upon completing your preparation for important idioms and phrases for IPMAT, you will witness a tremendous improvement in your grammar, vocabulary and language skills. Simultaneously, you will become proficient in reading passages at your fingertips in less time. Besides, you will also become familiar with the right pathway to decipher idioms and phrases in a reading passage. On the other hand, your approach to writing answers and essays will improve to a huge extent. Using simple language, including proper introduction, body and conclusion, along with idiomatic expressions, will be your key components to succeed in this section and strengthen your command over the English language. 

Common Examples of Important Idioms and Phrases For IPMAT 

Idioms and Phrases	Explanations
Blood is thicker than water	Figurative Meaning: Family ties are more important than friendships and family relations. Example: Even though they fought, Rohan helped his brother because blood is thicker than water.
Buy a large chalk	Figurative Meaning: Buy a large margin by far. Example: She’s the biggest singer in the competition by a long chalk.
Be in the black	Figurative Meaning: To be financially secure/profitable. Example: After two years, the company is finally in the black.
Bread and Butter	Figurative Meaning: The main source of livelihood or income.  Example: Teaching is my bread and butter.
Bury the Hatchet	Figurative Meaning: To make peace and profit. Example: The two nations decided to bury the hatchet after years of hostility.
Bed of Thorns	Figurative Meaning: A very difficult or uncomfortable situation. Example: Running this company has become a bed of thorns for them.
Bronze Cheer	Figurative Meaning: Sarcastic, fake or encouragement. Example: His friends gave him a bronze cheer when he claimed he’d win the race.
Beet Red	Figurative Meaning: To blush with embarrassment or anger. Example: She went beet red when the teacher praised her in front of everyone.
Blessing in disguise	Figurative Meaning: Something that looks bad but turns out to be good.  Example: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise; I have found a better one.
Bring to Book	Figurative Meaning: To hold someone accountable. Example: The corrupt officer was finally brought to book.
Bring to light	Figurative Meaning: To reveal or expose something. Example: Thank you for bringing this to light for me.
Bark up the wrong tree.	Figurative Meaning: To make a false attempt or make direct attempts wrongly. Example: If you think I leaked the news, you are barking up the wrong tree.
Beyond the Pale	Figurative Meaning: Unacceptable behaviour. Example: His comments were beyond the pale and affected everyone.
Beat up the dead horse	Figurative Meaning: You are wasting your hope on something hopeless.  Example: She kept convincing her husband, but it felt like beating a dead horse.
Beef Up	Figurative Meaning: To strengthen or to improve. Example: They beefed up the security after the interview.
Bolt from the blue	Figurative Meaning: A sudden and striking lightning bolt from the blue sky/ A shocking, unexpected event Example: Her resignation came like a bolt from the blue.
Bone to pick	Figurative Meaning: To have a complaint or grievance. Example: I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday’s meeting.
Bend over backwards	Figurative Meaning: To make great efforts to help or please someone. Example: The teacher went over backwards to help the struggling students.
Backseat driving	Figurative Meaning: Constantly poking the other person or sharing unsolicited advice.  Example: His friends were constantly backseat driving him regarding his job interview.
Be in your bonnet	Figurative Meaning: Stuck on something or being obsessed with an idea.  Example: He has got a be in his bonnet about car racing and adventurous trips.
Bite the Bullet	Figurative Meaning: To bravely face pain or hardship. Example: He decided to bite the bullet and apologise.
Glad to see the back off	Figurative Meaning: Relieved when someone or something unpleasant leaves. Example: We were glad to see the back of that noisy neighbour.

Important Idioms and Phrases For IPMAT 2026: Useful Preparation Tips

Building a powerful strategy to learn important idioms and phrases for IPMAT should be a fundamental part of your preparation checklist. Go through the strategies addressed below and upgrade your knowledge about the idioms and phrases topic from the VARC section of the IPMAT. 

• Gather informative study resources that consist of popular idioms and their meanings.
• Watch iQuanta online lectures to study important idioms and phrases for IPMAT.
• Practice questions from previous years to test your knowledge.
• If you face any challenges, watch the video solutions included in the iQuanta study module.
• Include mnemonic techniques, memes and jokes to make your learning more fun and interesting.
• Select first-class books and newspapers (The Hindu, The Mint or Indian Express) that use rich language to develop a consistent reading habit. 
• Speak those words in your circle to enhance your pronunciation. 
• Understand the meaning of every idiom and jot down an example.
• Ask your mentor about tips and tricks to solve complex questions.
• Make an Excel sheet to note down the most popular and unique idioms and phrases.

IPMAT Past Year Questions From Idioms and Phrases 

IPMAT Year	IPMAT Past Year Questions
IPMAT 2024	1. My supervisor seemed to be in a bad mood and ____ when I asked if I could leave an hour early.  ate my head  cut my voice  bit my head off hit my ear off ate my head  2. Anil could not go to his friend’s party, as he had fever and was___ beneath the weather under the weather outside the weather 3. The students’ picnic plans ___ when it started raining heavily in the morning.  dropped out  dropped off  fell through  fell behind 4. Sheila keeps interrupting Manohar when he is playing with his friends, but he___ because she is his younger sister.  puts her off  puts up with her  puts along with her  puts her on
IPMAT 2023	1. The nasty comments made by strangers on the social media platforms about the actor made him ___ ill at heart  ill and ache  ill in heart  ill at ease 2. If you ask me to give you a rough estimate for the cost of the project, __I would say thirty lakhs.  off-the-mark off-the-grid off-the-cuff off-the-mike 3. A few brands tailor their pants in such a way that it is easy for people with prosthetic legs to put them on. This is how they__ go to the extra level  go to the extreme level  go the extra mile  go the entire mile
IPMAT 2022	1. Leela is always nasty and inconsiderate with her colleagues; now that she has a rude superior, she is getting _____ a spoon of her own medicine  a taste of her own medicine  an unpleasant medicine dose  a dose of bitter medicine 60. 2. I still have two more difficult exams left, but I’m trying to ____; after these I won’t have any more for a year!  think about the sunny side  think upon the sunny side  look on the bright side  look forward to the bright side
IPMAT 2021	1. I have now more productive time during the day because I keep the office gossips ____ A foot away At arm’s length At bay’s length Out of harm’s way 2. We need to cut down our expenses so that we are able to ____ Make ends meet Tie up the loose ends Be tax compliant Be More Philanthropic
IPMAT 2020	1. After the unearthing of relics at the archaeological site, the historian was asked to __ the significance of the history Throw light on  Turn light on  Shed meaning on  Focus meaning on 2. It is irritating when co-workers dismiss your ideas as worthless and later present those ideas as their own. They just want to: Steal your credit  Steal your thunder  Steal your crown Steal your gloating
IPMAT 2019	1. The problems may be difficult, but all you have to do is, ____ as long as you can Hang in there  Hang on there Hang in up there Hang on to that 2. If you had been more alert, this golden opportunity would not have: Slipped off Escaped your fingers escaped away Slipped through your fingers

IPMAT Preparation for Idioms and Phrases with iQuanta

In the above sections of this content, we have shared the important idioms and phrases for IPMAT with you. Similarly, we also motivate our students to implement mnemonics to remember the iconic idioms and phrases. Each idiom and phrase is different from one another. Henceforth, we opt for teaching techniques that are beneficial for the students. Precise information about the strategies we follow to elevate your knowledge about numerous idioms and phrases is listed below.

•  24*7 Doubt Clarification Sessions
• Live Online Sessions and Application Classes
• Topic-wise Study Modules
• Daily Assignments For Practice
• Study With Peers
• Solve IPMAT PYQs As an Online Test Series

Final Words 

Learning about the important idioms and phrases for IPMAT will benefit you in the long run. You will already have a strong grip on the fundamental components, due to which it will be easier for you to tackle the academic curriculum, summer internships and placement fairs. With time, you’ll eventually master the art of effective communication and will deliver an impressive performance during debates, seminars, and conferences throughout your study duration. This will also continue in your professional career, and you will ace corporate meetings and discussions like a pro. 

Join iQuanta and receive beneficial strategies and informative study resources to boost your preparation for important idioms and phrases for IPMAT in 2026. Our experts gauge the study requirements and share a personalised study plan for Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) to every student who enrols for our preparation courses to ace the IPMAT with a remarkable score. Get going and register now for the IPMAT preparation courses 2026 to secure a seat in top-tier management institutes like IIM Indore, IIM Shillong (Only Mathematics), IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIM Jammu, IIM Bodhgaya, IIFT Kakinada (Maths Compulsory), IIM Amritsar (IPM Finance), NIRMA University, TAPMI and NALSAR Hyderabad. 

If you are looking for a structured preparation for IPMAT along with 24×7 doubt solving, then you can go for iQuanta’s IPMAT Course

Important Idioms and Phrases For IPMAT 2026 – FAQs