GMAT Idioms List: Common Idioms to Ace Your GMAT Preparation

As a matter of fact

Actually, in fact.

"As a matter of fact, she was the first to submit the report."

At odds with

In disagreement with.

"The board is at odds with the CEO about the company's future."

Be in charge of

To be responsible for something.

"He is in charge of the marketing team at the company."

Due to

Because of.

"The event was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances."

For the sake of

In order to help or benefit something.

"She sacrificed her vacation for the sake of the business."

In light of

Considering, because of.

"In light of the recent feedback, we’ll revise our strategy."

In terms of

With respect to, regarding.

"In terms of revenue, the company has shown impressive growth."

In the long run

Over an extended period of time.

"Training employees might be costly, but it’s worth it in the long run."

On the verge of

Close to, about to happen.

"They were on the verge of closing the deal when the market crashed."

On behalf of

Representing someone or something.

"I am speaking on behalf of the entire team regarding the project."

Out of the question

Not possible.

"Taking on another project right now is out of the question."

With regard to

Concerning, with respect to.

"With regard to the budget, we need to make some cuts."

At the expense of

Sacrificing something for the benefit of something else.

"He gained success at the expense of his health."

In the meantime

During the time between two events.

"The project is delayed, but in the meantime, we will review the plan."

By means of

Using, through.

"We gathered data by means of an online survey."

To some extent

Partially, to a certain degree.

"The new policy has worked, to some extent."

In place of

As a substitute for.

"He decided to use digital marketing in place of traditional advertising."

In accordance with

In agreement with.

"The policy was implemented in accordance with the guidelines."

In contrast to

Differently from, in opposition to.

"In contrast to last year, this year's profits have been outstanding."

In addition to

Along with, also.

"In addition to our regular duties, we also have to meet deadlines."

In the event of

If something happens.

"In the event of an emergency, follow the evacuation protocol."

On top of

In addition to, besides.

"On top of the regular meetings, we must plan for the new launch."

Out of the blue

Unexpectedly, without warning.

"He arrived out of the blue and surprised everyone."

Behind the scenes

Secretly, without public knowledge.

"The negotiations were happening behind the scenes for months."

For the time being

Temporarily.

"For the time being, we’ll continue working remotely."

At the moment

Currently, right now.

"At the moment, we don’t have the data we need."

On the contrary

In contrast, the opposite.

"It’s not easy, on the contrary, it’s very challenging."

In any case

Regardless, anyway.

"In any case, we need to finish this by tomorrow."

In the course of

During, while something is happening.

"In the course of the meeting, new ideas were introduced."

With a view to

Intending, aiming for.

"The changes were made with a view to improving customer satisfaction."

By all means

Absolutely, certainly.

"By all means, feel free to contact me if you have questions."

In the face of

Despite, in opposition to.

"In the face of challenges, they maintained their position."

In light of

Considering, in view of.

"In light of the current situation, we’ll delay the project."

On the grounds of

Based on, due to.

"She was dismissed on the grounds of misconduct."

In favour of

Supporting, approving.

"The majority voted in favour of the new plan."

In the event that

If something happens.

"In the event that we miss the deadline, we’ll negotiate an extension."

In terms of

Concerning, with respect to.

"In terms of efficiency, this system is a great improvement."

Under the circumstances

Considering the current situation.

"Under the circumstances, we’ll need to reschedule the meeting."

In light of

Considering, due to.

"In light of the recent issues, we will reassess our strategy."

On the grounds of

Based on, due to.

"She was dismissed on the grounds of misconduct."

In favour of

Supporting, preferring.

"I am in favour of your suggestion for the new policy."

In line with

In agreement with, conforming to.

"The new design is in line with the latest market trends."

At risk of

In danger of.

"The company is at risk of losing its competitive edge."

On the lookout for

Searching for, looking out for.

"The team is on the lookout for new market opportunities."

In place of

As a replacement for.

"We used a different supplier in place of the previous one."

In the interest of

For the benefit of.

"In the interest of transparency, the report was made public."

Out of the question

Not possible, unacceptable.

"A salary increase is out of the question right now."

On the spot

Immediately, without delay.

"The manager made the decision on the spot."

As far as

To the extent of.

"As far as the budget is concerned, we are within limits."

In tune with

In harmony with, in agreement with.

"The company’s policies are in tune with the latest regulations."

On the verge of

Close to happening.

"We are on the verge of signing the new deal."

In case of

If something happens.

"In case of fire, use the stairs, not the elevator."

At the expense of

Sacrificing something for the benefit of something else.

"The team increased sales at the expense of quality."

Out of hand

Uncontrolled, not manageable.

"The situation got out of hand very quickly."

In favour of

Supporting, preferring.

"The committee voted in favour of the new changes."

In keeping with

Consistent with, in line with.

"The design of the new logo is in keeping with the brand’s image."