42 Idioms for Short: Fun Ways to Say Something’s Not Long

Saying something is “short” doesn’t have to be boring. We’ve got plenty of idioms that add color and fun to everyday speech. Idioms make our words more interesting and give us new ways to describe something small, quick, or tiny.

In this post, you’ll find 42 idioms that all mean something is short in time, size, or amount. Each one includes a meaning, an example, and other ways to say it. Whether you’re talking about a short visit, a tiny object, or a quick nap—these idioms help you say it better.

Idioms for Short

1. In a flash

Meaning: Very quickly.
Sentence Example: He finished his homework in a flash. / The dog ran out the door in a flash.
Other Ways to Say: Super fast / In no time

2. Short and sweet

Meaning: Brief but pleasant.
Sentence Example: Her speech was short and sweet. / The meeting was short and sweet—just how I like it.
Other Ways to Say: Quick and nice / Straight to the point

3. Blink of an eye

Meaning: Very fast, almost instantly.
Sentence Example: It was over in the blink of an eye. / The butterfly flew away in the blink of an eye.
Other Ways to Say: Super quick / So fast

4. Bite-sized

Meaning: Small and easy to handle.
Sentence Example: These bite-sized cookies are perfect for kids. / I love bite-sized lessons—they’re easy to learn.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny / Mini

5. A hop, skip, and a jump

Meaning: A short distance.
Sentence Example: The park is just a hop, skip, and a jump from here. / School is a hop, skip, and a jump away.
Other Ways to Say: Close by / Not far

6. In no time

Meaning: Very quickly.
Sentence Example: I’ll be done in no time. / She cleaned the room in no time.
Other Ways to Say: Quickly / Fast

7. Run-of-the-mill

Meaning: Small or basic, nothing special.
Sentence Example: It was just a run-of-the-mill haircut. / The party was pretty run-of-the-mill.
Other Ways to Say: Plain / Simple

8. Short fuse

Meaning: Gets angry quickly.
Sentence Example: He has a short fuse when things go wrong. / Don’t tease her—she’s got a short fuse.
Other Ways to Say: Quick temper / Gets mad fast

9. Flash in the pan

Meaning: Something great but only for a short time.
Sentence Example: His fame was just a flash in the pan. / That trend was a flash in the pan.
Other Ways to Say: Short-lived / Not lasting

10. Brief encounter

Meaning: A short meeting.
Sentence Example: We had a brief encounter at the grocery store. / It was just a brief encounter, but it made my day.
Other Ways to Say: Quick meeting / Short visit

11. Momentary lapse

Meaning: A very short mistake or break.
Sentence Example: I had a momentary lapse of focus. / It was just a momentary lapse in memory.
Other Ways to Say: Quick mistake / Short forget

12. Nipped in the bud

Meaning: Stopped early or quickly.
Sentence Example: The fight was nipped in the bud by the teacher. / I nipped the bad habit in the bud.
Other Ways to Say: Stopped fast / Ended early

13. In a nutshell

Meaning: In very few words.
Sentence Example: That’s our plan in a nutshell. / In a nutshell, we’re going to win.
Other Ways to Say: Simply / To sum up

14. A quick fix

Meaning: A fast and easy solution.
Sentence Example: Duct tape was a quick fix for the leak. / This is just a quick fix, not a real solution.
Other Ways to Say: Temporary repair / Fast help

15. A short stack

Meaning: A small group or amount.
Sentence Example: I had a short stack of pancakes. / He brought a short stack of books.
Other Ways to Say: Small pile / Tiny bunch

16. One-minute wonder

Meaning: Only good for a short while.
Sentence Example: That toy was a one-minute wonder. / His attention span is a one-minute wonder.
Other Ways to Say: Fades fast / Doesn’t last

17. Quick bite

Meaning: A short meal or snack.
Sentence Example: Let’s grab a quick bite before class. / I had a quick bite on my break.
Other Ways to Say: Snack / Light meal

18. Hit and run

Meaning: Very quick and without much time.
Sentence Example: It was a hit-and-run visit. / The speech felt like a hit and run.
Other Ways to Say: Super quick / In and out

19. Lightning speed

Meaning: Extremely fast.
Sentence Example: She ran at lightning speed. / The internet is working at lightning speed.
Other Ways to Say: Very fast / Zoom

20. At a glance

Meaning: Quickly or briefly looking at something.
Sentence Example: I knew the answer at a glance. / The mistake was clear at a glance.
Other Ways to Say: Quick look / Short check

21. A short spell

Meaning: A brief period of time.
Sentence Example: He had a short spell of the flu. / We had a short spell of sunshine today.
Other Ways to Say: Little while / Brief time

22. A blip on the radar

Meaning: A small or temporary issue.
Sentence Example: The delay was just a blip on the radar. / That bad grade was a blip on the radar.
Other Ways to Say: Not a big deal / Quick problem

23. Pop in

Meaning: To visit quickly.
Sentence Example: I just popped in to say hi. / She popped in for a minute.
Other Ways to Say: Drop by / Quick visit

24. Cat nap

Meaning: A short sleep.
Sentence Example: I took a cat nap after lunch. / He always has a cat nap before dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Quick rest / Short snooze

25. A drop in the bucket

Meaning: A very small part of something big.
Sentence Example: My $5 was just a drop in the bucket for the fundraiser. / That change is just a drop in the bucket.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny bit / Small part

26. Short order

Meaning: Done quickly.
Sentence Example: The cook made our meal in short order. / She finished her chores in short order.
Other Ways to Say: Fast / Quickly

27. A quick shot

Meaning: A fast effort or action.
Sentence Example: Let’s take a quick shot at the game. / He gave it a quick shot before leaving.
Other Ways to Say: Fast try / One chance

28. Skim the surface

Meaning: To do something quickly and not deeply.
Sentence Example: We only skimmed the surface of the topic. / He skimmed the surface of the book.
Other Ways to Say: Light touch / Not deep

29. Quick as a wink

Meaning: Super fast.
Sentence Example: She answered the question quick as a wink. / He finished the task quick as a wink.
Other Ways to Say: In a second / Super quick

30. Short leash

Meaning: Limited freedom or time.
Sentence Example: The dog’s on a short leash. / My mom keeps me on a short leash when I’m grounded.
Other Ways to Say: Tight rules / Limited freedom

31. Dime a dozen

Meaning: Very common or small in value.
Sentence Example: Short stories like that are a dime a dozen. / Mistakes like that are a dime a dozen.
Other Ways to Say: Common / Not rare

32. Short end of the stick

Meaning: A small or unfair share.
Sentence Example: I got the short end of the stick in the group project. / He always ends up with the short end of the stick.
Other Ways to Say: Unfair deal / Left out

33. Shrink in size

Meaning: To become smaller.
Sentence Example: My shirt shrank in size after washing. / The balloon shrank in size overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Get smaller / Reduce

34. In brief

Meaning: In a short summary.
Sentence Example: In brief, the team did great. / In brief, we had a fun trip.
Other Ways to Say: Quickly said / Short version

35. A quick peek

Meaning: A fast look.
Sentence Example: I took a quick peek at the gift. / He had a quick peek in the fridge.
Other Ways to Say: Fast glance / Tiny look

36. A snippet

Meaning: A small part or piece.
Sentence Example: I heard a snippet of their conversation. / This book has a great snippet about space.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny bit / Small sample

37. In passing

Meaning: Briefly or without much time.
Sentence Example: She mentioned it in passing. / I saw him in passing on my way out.
Other Ways to Say: Casually / Briefly

38. A minute detail

Meaning: A very small detail.
Sentence Example: He focused on every minute detail. / That minute detail made all the difference.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny part / Very small thing

39. Touch-and-go

Meaning: Uncertain or very short time.
Sentence Example: The trip was touch-and-go due to the weather. / It was a touch-and-go moment.
Other Ways to Say: Unsteady / Very brief

40. On the spot

Meaning: Right away, without delay.
Sentence Example: She made the choice on the spot. / He fixed it on the spot.
Other Ways to Say: Instantly / Quickly

41. Just a sec

Meaning: Wait a very short time.
Sentence Example: Hold on, just a sec! / I’ll be there in just a sec.
Other Ways to Say: Wait a moment / One second

42. Quick on the draw

Meaning: Fast to act or respond.
Sentence Example: He’s quick on the draw with answers. / She was quick on the draw during the game.
Other Ways to Say: Fast thinker / Rapid response

Exercise to Practice

I took a after school to recharge.
He finished his sandwich in .
The test was over in the of an eye.
That comment was just mentioned .
We had a visit with our cousins.
She made her bed in order.
This little spoon is just a of the whole set.
He’s always with his answers in class.
The meeting was and sweet.
Let’s take a before the movie starts.
I got the end of the stick again.
They were gone in a as the rain started.
My speech was just a on the radar.
Let me grab my bag—I’ll be ready in just a .
She gave it a _ shot before leaving.

Answer Key

cat nap
no time
blink
in passing
brief
short
snippet
quick on the draw
short
quick bite
short
flash
blip
sec
quick

Conclusion

Idioms about “short” help us talk in more fun and vivid ways. Whether it’s time, size, or distance—these phrases make our speech more playful and expressive.

Try a few in your daily life. Instead of saying “I’ll be fast,” say “I’ll be there in a flash!” These little phrases pack a punch—and keep things short and sweet.