We use technology every day. From sending texts to playing games, it’s all around us. But when people talk about tech, they don’t always use plain words. They often use special phrases called idioms. Idioms help make what we say more fun or easier to understand.
In this article, you’ll learn idioms people use when they talk about technology. These expressions can explain how something works, why something goes wrong, or how people feel about gadgets and the internet. Let’s take a look at some common idioms for technology and what they really mean.
Idioms for Technology
1. Push someone’s buttons
Meaning: To make someone upset, often by knowing what annoys them.
Samples: My brother knows how to push my buttons. / The app pushed my buttons when it kept freezing.
To Put it Another Way: He made me mad on purpose. / The problem really annoyed me.
2. Pull the plug
Meaning: To stop something from working or continuing.
Samples: They pulled the plug on the game when it got too glitchy. / The teacher pulled the plug on the video early.
To Put it Another Way: They stopped it. / It was shut down.
3. Blow a fuse
Meaning: To get very angry.
Samples: I blew a fuse when my phone battery died during my game. / Mom blew a fuse when the internet went out.
To Put it Another Way: I got super mad. / She lost her temper.
4. Recharge your batteries
Meaning: To rest and get energy back.
Samples: I need to recharge my batteries after screen time. / A weekend with no homework helps me recharge my batteries.
To Put it Another Way: I need a break. / I want to rest and feel better.
5. Short-circuit
Meaning: To stop working suddenly or fail.
Samples: My brain short-circuited during the test. / His plan short-circuited when the Wi-Fi failed.
To Put it Another Way: I couldn’t think. / It didn’t work like it should.
6. Power up
Meaning: To turn something on or get ready.
Samples: I powered up my tablet for class. / The robot powered up and started moving.
To Put it Another Way: I turned it on. / It got started.
7. In the loop
Meaning: To be informed or know what’s going on.
Samples: Keep me in the loop about the tech club. / I want to stay in the loop about the coding contest.
To Put it Another Way: Tell me what’s happening. / I want to know the news.
8. Out of the loop
Meaning: To not know what’s going on.
Samples: I felt out of the loop when everyone talked about the new app. / She was out of the loop after missing class.
To Put it Another Way: I didn’t know what was happening. / I missed the info.
9. On the same wavelength
Meaning: Thinking the same way.
Samples: We’re on the same wavelength about our tech project. / My friend and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to gaming.
To Put it Another Way: We agree. / We understand each other.
10. Go haywire
Meaning: To go out of control.
Samples: My computer went haywire after the update. / The smart board went haywire during the lesson.
To Put it Another Way: It stopped working right. / It acted crazy.
11. Wired
Meaning: Full of energy, often from using devices too long.
Samples: I was wired after playing video games all night. / He’s wired from too much screen time.
To Put it Another Way: I’m too active to sleep. / I can’t calm down.
12. Hit the reset button
Meaning: To start over.
Samples: I hit the reset button after the program froze. / She hit the reset button and tried again.
To Put it Another Way: I started again. / I gave it another try.
13. Glitch in the system
Meaning: A small problem or error.
Samples: There was a glitch in the system that made the lights blink. / My screen froze because of a glitch in the system.
To Put it Another Way: Something went wrong. / There was a small tech issue.
14. Cutting-edge
Meaning: Very new and advanced.
Samples: That phone has cutting-edge features. / Their robot is so cutting-edge.
To Put it Another Way: It’s super new. / It uses the latest tech.
15. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: To start again after a failure.
Samples: Our game didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board. / The idea failed, so we’re back to the drawing board.
To Put it Another Way: Try again. / Make a new plan.
16. Bells and whistles
Meaning: Extra features that are not necessary.
Samples: That tablet has lots of bells and whistles. / We don’t need all the bells and whistles just the basics.
To Put it Another Way: Fancy extras. / Extra stuff we don’t really need.
17. Upgrade
Meaning: To improve or get a better version.
Samples: I upgraded to a faster laptop. / She upgraded her phone last week.
To Put it Another Way: Got something better. / Made it newer and faster.
18. Crash
Meaning: To stop working suddenly.
Samples: My game crashed in the middle of a level. / The website crashed when too many people used it.
To Put it Another Way: It froze. / It stopped working.
19. Run out of juice
Meaning: To run out of power.
Samples: My phone ran out of juice during the trip. / His tablet ran out of juice right before class.
To Put it Another Way: The battery died. / It lost all power.
20. Install
Meaning: To set up a program or app.
Samples: I installed a new math app. / She installed a photo editor.
To Put it Another Way: Put in the app. / Set up the program.
21. Unplug
Meaning: To take a break from technology.
Samples: Let’s unplug and go play outside. / I unplugged for the weekend and felt better.
To Put it Another Way: Step away from screens. / Take a tech break.
22. Digital native
Meaning: Someone who grew up using technology.
Samples: My little brother is a digital native. / Digital natives learn tech fast.
To Put it Another Way: Kids who grow up with tech. / They know devices well.
23. Byte-sized
Meaning: Small and easy to understand, like tech information.
Samples: The class gave byte-sized lessons on coding. / This book has byte-sized tips for kids.
To Put it Another Way: Small bits of info. / Easy to understand pieces.
24. Click into place
Meaning: To suddenly understand or work well.
Samples: Everything clicked into place when I reread the instructions. / The parts clicked into place on the robot.
To Put it Another Way: It made sense. / It worked right.
25. In real time
Meaning: As something is happening.
Samples: We watched the event in real time online. / The scores are updated in real time.
To Put it Another Way: Live. / As it happens.
26. Break the internet
Meaning: To become super popular online.
Samples: Her video almost broke the internet. / That meme broke the internet last week.
To Put it Another Way: It went viral. / Everyone saw it.
27. Hack
Meaning: A clever solution or trick.
Samples: I found a hack to save time on homework. / That app has cool life hacks.
To Put it Another Way: A smart trick. / A helpful shortcut.
28. Log in
Meaning: To enter a computer or app.
Samples: I logged in to my account. / Don’t forget to log in before the test.
To Put it Another Way: Sign in. / Start your session.
29. Scroll through
Meaning: To move up or down on a screen.
Samples: I scrolled through photos on my tablet. / She scrolled through the news.
To Put it Another Way: Move through content. / Look through screen items.
30. Surf the web
Meaning: To browse the internet.
Samples: I surfed the web to find fun games. / We surfed the web for project info.
To Put it Another Way: Go online. / Look around on websites.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Technology
Reading Passage: “Tech Trouble on Tuesday”
It was Tuesday morning, and Ms. Carter’s class was ready to start their online project. Everyone logged in well, almost everyone. Sam was out of the loop because he had missed the last class. Mia helped him get back in the loop and explained the project steps.
Just as things were going smoothly, the smart board went haywire. The screen flashed and then froze. “Looks like we’ve hit a glitch in the system,” Ms. Carter said with a sigh.
“Let’s hit the reset button,” said Mia. The students powered up their tablets again. Still, nothing worked.
“We may have to pull the plug on tech today,” Ms. Carter told them. “Let’s just unplug and do a paper version of the project.”
“Good idea,” said Sam. “This tech stuff is making my brain short-circuit!”
Everyone laughed and grabbed their notebooks.
Your Task:
Can you find and underline or list all 8 idioms for technology in the story?
Answer Key
- Out of the loop
- Back in the loop
- Went haywire
- Glitch in the system
- Hit the reset button
- Powered up
- Pull the plug
- Unplug
Conclusion
Technology is part of our daily lives. Sometimes it works great, and sometimes it doesn’t. Idioms for technology help us talk about these moments in a fun and clear way. Phrases like “pull the plug” or “glitch in the system” make our stories more interesting.
By learning these idioms, you can describe tech problems or fun moments with devices more easily. Try using some of these expressions when you talk about your computer, phone, or favorite game.
