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Poetry Clichés | Cliches in Poetry

A List of Clichés in Poetry. This page contains examples of clichés in poetry and a comprehensive list of clichés . These are clichés and overused sayings you may find in poetry, however,  the exhaustive list of clichés or trite phrases may be found in other forms of writing. It is a good practice to avoid use of these phases in poetry unless used in a completely original way.

See also our Cliche Finder: Paste your text in the form field and see if your creative work has clichés.

Popular Cliches

absence makes the heart grow fonder
actions speak louder than words
after my own heart
another one bites the dust
apple of my eye
back stabber
baited breath
baptism by fire
bated breath
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
beauty is only skin deep
beyond compare
big heart
bittersweet memories
boy inside
brand new day
broken heart
can't live without you
cheating heart
church bells ring
colors of spring
cries go unheard
cruel world
cry over spilled milk
dark of night
darkest of night
darkness of night
dawn to dusk
dead inside
deep within
depth of my soul
depths of my soul
distant memory
distant past
do you feel me
does my heart good
down the drain
driving me crazy
dwell in the past
empty heart
endless words
ends of the earth
eternal flame
eternal love
every passing day
everything's coming up roses
eye of the beholder
faint heart never a true love knows
fall head over heels
fall through the cracks
fan the flames
far as the eye can see
farewell friend
fateful morning
feel alive again
feeling blue
fire burning within
fire in my soul
fish in the sea
fit the mold
flowers bloom
from here to there
glued to a screen
good times and bad
grass is always greener
gray sky
hang in there
hate myself
have a heart
heart aches
heart breaker
heart flutter
heart swells
hearts intertwine
heavy heart
hello darkness
hit rock bottom
hollow soul
honor your memory
keep your chin up
kiss on my neck
kissing the rose
land far away
league of their own
left behind
left too soon
light of my life
light shines down
light up with joy
like it was yesterday
looking into my soul
lost in each others
lost soul
love and war
love is
love is blind
love make the world go round
love of my life
love you more than
love's embrace
loves conquers all things
lying heart
meaning of life
meaningful dialogue
more than meets the eye
more than words can express
my head is spinning
my heart aches for you
my heart clings to you
my heart cries out to you
my heart is a lonely hunter
my heart is aflame
my heart is an open book
my heart is drowning in sorrow
my heart is in my hand
my heart is on fire
my heart is weary
my heart laid bare
my heart longs for you
my heart reached out
my heart sings to you
my heart waits for you
my heart will always be true
my heart will never be free
my heart withered like
my hero
my inspiration
my little lamb
my lonely heart
my lonely soul
my open soul
my rock
my soul is a shadow
my soul is alone
my soul is on fire
my soul laid bare
my soul reached out
my soul took flight
my stomach is tied up in knots
my tears fell like rain
my wandering soul
my weary soul
never part
no man is an island
no one understands me
no time flat
old man
one in million
one true love
out like a lamb
over and over again
paid the price
peace of mind
pearls before swine
pounding of his lonely heart
power struggle
question my existence
rain on their parade
raise a glass
reach the sky
reached new heights
red roses
restless soul
road less traveled
romance blooms
rose by any other name
rose colored glasses
roses are red
running the race
sands of time
season's greetings
shadow of my soul
shall never part
shallow grave
shattered heart
silence is golden
sinking feeling
slay the dragon
snow capped mountains
solitary soul
soul full of longing
soul full of sorrow
soul of discretion
souls collide
spell is broken
spice of life
spring rain
star crossed lovers
stars like diamonds
stop and smell the roses
tainted love
tender as a mother's heart
test the waters
thorn in my side
til the end of time
time after time
time and again
time heals all wounds
time is fleeting
time slips away
tip of the iceberg
tossing and turning
true self
two hearts
two lovers
unborn child
unconditional love
unknown soldiers
violets are blue
waiting for the dust to settle
waiting for your ship to come in
walk your own path
warmth of my touch
weak soul
weary heart
when all is said and done
wildest dreams
wiped my tears
wish upon a star
word that was left unspoken
words that were left unspoken
worlds apart
writings on the wall
you clawed at my heart
you held onto my heart
you make the sun shine
you set my heart on fire
you tore my heart
you tore out my heart
young and in love
your essence

More Cliches & Poems

wait a minute
wait and see
wait for the ink to dry
wait your turn
waiting for the dust to settle
waiting for the other shoe to drop
waiting for your ship come in
waiting for your ship to come in
waiting game
waiting in the wings
waiting with baited breath
wake the dead
wake up and smell the coffee
wake up living
wake up on the wrong side of the bed
wake up to the fact
wake-up and smell the coffee
wake-up call
wake-up on the wrong side of the bed
wakeup call
waking up on the wrong side of the bed
waking up with the chickens
walk a mile in my shoes
walk it
walk on by
walk on the wild side
walk on water
walk out
walk softly
walk softly and carry a big stick
walk tall
walk the line
walk the plank
walk the talk
walk the walk
walk this way
walk your own path
walked a mile in their shoes
walking a thin line
walking a tightrope
walking encyclopedia
walking in step
walking on air
walking on eggshells
walking on sunshine
walking on thin ice
walled garden
walls have ears
walls start closing in
want my place in the sun
wanted in connection with
war footing
war games
war monger
war of words
war zone
warm as toast
warm blooded
warm feeling
warm welcome
warmed by your embrace
warming to it
warmth of my touch
warning shot
warts and all
was my face red
wash your hands of something
wash your mouth out with soap
washed up
washed up to be
wasn't built in a day
wasn't my fault
waste not want not
waste of time
watch and wait
watch my lips
watch your mouth
watch your p's and q's
watch your step
watch your tongue
watched pot never boils
watching the clock
water over the dam
water sports
water takes the easiest way
water under the bridge
water water everywhere
water water everywhere and not a drop to drink
water water everywhere but not a drop to drink
watered beer
watered down
wave the white flag
way forward
way of life
way of saying
way out
way out man
way the cookie crumbles
way to a man's heart is through his stomach
way to go
way to go einstein
way to go grace
we are a grandmother
we are not amused
we are one
we can work it out
we few we happy few we band of brothers
we have seen better days
we know where you live
we must unite
we'll cross that bridge when we come to it
we'll jump that fence when we get to it
we're all in the same boat
we're going to burn the midnight oil
we're gonna tie one on tonight
we're not in kansas anymore
we're not out of the woods yet
we're really going to town
we're sitting ducks
we've all been there
we've hit paydirt
weak soul
weaker sex
weakest link
wealth creators
wealth of information
wear many hat
wear many hats
wear my heart upon my sleeve
wear the trousers
wear your heart on your sleeve
wear your heart out on your sleeve
wearing nothin' but his birthday suit
wearing your heart on your sleeve
weary heart
weasel words
weather the storm
web of intrigue
wee-wee
weed them out
week of sundays
weet deal
welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
welcome to my hell
welcome to the club
welcoming committee
welfare reform
well adjusted
well done
well how do you like *them* apples
well hung
well i'll be a monkeys uncle
well in
well knit
well of despair
well off
well this is a fine how do you do
well wisher
well you're not missing much
well-heeled
well-known misquotations
went belly up
went over like a lead balloon
went storming off in a huff
went the full circle
went through the roof
were you born in a barn
were you raised by wolves
wet behind the ears
wet blanket
wet dream
wet paper bag
whale of a time
wham bam thank you mam
what a blast
what a bummer
what a drag
what a duck
what a piece of work is man
what a pleasure its been
what a shambles
what a square
what a tangled web we weave
what a way to go
what a zoo
what am i chopped liver
what are you chicken
what are you like
what are you stewing about
what can i do for you
what can i get you
what can only be described as
what comes around goes around
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
what goes around comes around
what goes up
what goes up must come down
what happens in vegas stays in vegas
what have you come as tonight
what if tomorrow never comes
what in tar nation
what in tarnation
what is love
what is not to like
what is the skinny
what is up doc
what on earth is wrong with me
what part of no don't you understand
what rock did you crawl out from under
what the dickens
what the heck
what the hell
what you see
what you see is what you get
what's a little ______ among friends
what's a little among friends
what's cookin' good lookin'
what's going down
what's he been smoking
what's new
what's not to like
what's on your mind
what's ours is mine
what's that got to do with it
what's that got to do with the price of eggs
what's the problem
what's the score
what's up
what's up with that
what's what
what's wrong with this picture
whatchoo talkin' bout willis
whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger
whatever float your boat
whatever floats your boat
whatever tickles your fancy
whatever turns you on
whatever turns your crank
whatever you want
wheel is turning but the hamster is dead
wheeler-dealer
when all is said and done
when hell freezes over
when i say jump
when in rome
when in rome do as romans do
when it comes to the crunch
when it rains
when it rains
when it rains it pours
when life gives you lemons
when life gives you lemons make lemonade
when life hands you lemons
when pigs fly
when push comes to shove
when the cat's away
when the cat's away the mouse will play
when the chips are down
when the going gets tough
when the going gets tough
when the going gets tough the tough get going
when the tide goes out the rocks begin to show
when you lie with dogs
when you lie with dogs you catch fleas
when you're my age you'll thank me
where do you draw the line
where the rubber meets the road
where there is muck there's brass
where there's a will
where there's smoke there's fire
where's the beef
whet your appetite
while away the hours
while stocks last
while you live tell truth and shame the devil
whipping boy
whirlwind campaign
whisper sweet nothings
whistle down the wind
whistle for it
whistle in the dark
whistling in the dark
white as a ghost
white as a sheet
white as snow
white bread
white elephant
white elephant gift
white knuckle ride
white slavery
whitewash job
who cares
who could forget
who dares wins
who died and left you in charge
who died and made you boss
who died and made you king
who do they think they are
who has everything
who knows
who pissed in your cheerios
who's minding the shop
who's next
who's on next
who's the man
whoever dies with the most toys wins
whole ball of wax
whole enchilada
whole hog
whole kit and caboodle
whole new ball game
whole nine yards
whole shebang
whole shootin' match
whole truth
whoop it up
whoops-a-daisy
why are we waiting
why buy the cow when the milk is free
why close the barn door after the horse is gone
why do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow
why don't we all chip in
why not
why on god's green earth
why should i worry
wide eyed
wide open
widespread dissent
widow's peak
wig out
wild and woolly
wild goose chase
wild oats
wild-goose chase
wildest dreams
will miracles never cease
will wonders never cease
will wonders never cease?
willing and able
willy nilly
willy-nilly
win friends and influence people
win hands down
win one for the gipper
win or lose
win through
wind swept mountains
wind up
wind your neck in
window dressing
window of opportunity
window shopping
wine women and song
wing and a prayer
wing it
wings of an angel
winner takes all
winners never quit and quitters never win
winning combination
winning isn't everything
winning streak
winning ways
wipe the slate clean
wiped my tears
wired up
wisdom of the ages
wise as an owl
wish it upon yourself
wish list
wish on a star
wish upon a star
wish you were here
wishful thinking
wishy washy
wit's end
witch hunt
with a friend like you
with a grain of salt
with a pinch of salt
with a vengeance
with bated breath
with deepest sympathy
with every step
with flying color
with one hand tied behind my back
with reference to
with regard to
with the benefit of hindsight
with the right contacts
with tongue firmly planted in cheek
without a shadow of a doubt
without benefit of clergy
woe is me
woke up famous
wolf at the door
wolf in sheep's clothing
woman's touch
women and children first
women's intuition
won on points
wooden spoon
wool gathering
word association football
word for word
word in private
word that was left unspoken
word to the wise
words ending in gry
words fail
words fail me
words of wisdom
words that were left unspoken
work closely
work cut out
work hard
work hard at it
work in progress
work into a lather
work it out
work like a dog
work of art
work on it
work out
work the crowd
work the room
work to a deadline
work together
work up
work your fingers to the bone
worked up
worker bee
workin' hard or hardly workin'
working day and night
working for the opposition
working her fingers to the bone
working my last good nerve
working nine to five
working together
world class
world is your oyster
world number one
world of hurt
world of trouble
world on a string
world record attempt
world weary
world's your oyster
worlds apart
worm has turned
worm your way in
wormed his way in
worried to death
worry wart
worse than first thought
worse ways to make a living
worst bit
worst nightmare
worth its salt
worth its weight in gold
worth more than
worthless as tits on a boar
would not touch with a barge-pole
wouldn't touch it
wouldn't touch with a barge-pole
wound tighter than a spring
wrapped around her
wrapped around his finger
wrapped it up
wreck of the hesperus
write from the soul
writing is on the wall
writing on the wall
writings on the wall
wrong end of the stick
wrong foot
wrong number
wrong side of the bed
wrong side of the law
wrong side of the tracks
wrong signals

Book: Shattered Sighs