13 Fun Halloween idioms and expressions in English

As October rolls in, the golden-brown leaves begin to fall, shadows stretch across the streets, and a crisp chill fills the air. These signs can only mean one thing – Halloween is near! What better way to welcome this spooky season than to learn Halloween-themed words and phrases? Discover 13 fun Halloween idioms and expressions to boost your vocabulary and add a playful twist to your conversations. So, get ready to raise your spirits (not literally!) and join us for a few minutes of fun as we explore spine-chilling Halloween expressions! 

1. Witching hour 

The ‘witching hour’ is the time of night, usually midnight, when all supernatural things happen. During this time, magical powers are said to be at their peak. In modern English, it is actually a dramatic way to talk about a late night when strange things seem to happen. For example, “They say strange things happen during the witching hour.” 

2. Dig your own grave 

This is one of the most common Halloween idioms and is used a lot in everyday English. It means you are doing something that could get you in trouble later. A situation where this expression is most appropriate is that if you avoid studying for your big English test, you are digging your own grave. 

3. Ghost town 

The idiom ‘ghost town’ refers to a place that feels or has been deserted with no one living there for a long time. On Halloween night, after trick-or-treating ends, some neighbourhoods actually look like ghost towns with quirky decorations, with just silence and not a soul in sight. Another excellent example of this phrase is how, it feels like a ghost town in the early morning when no one is around. 

4. Scared stiff 

Do you remember a time when you watched a horror movie and were so scared that you couldn’t move? Being ‘scared stiff’ describes that feeling perfectly. It’s not just a Halloween idiom, but it feels even more chilling when used during spooky festivities. Imagine walking through a haunted house at night alone, and you hear a door creaking. How will that make you feel? Scared stiff, right? 

5. Over my dead body 

Another very common Halloween phrase that people use in conversations is ‘over my dead body.’ It is a way of showing strong refusal or saying that you will stop something from happening no matter what. Imagine someone asking if they can borrow your favourite Halloween costume and the response being over my dead body! 

6. Skeleton in the closet 

This Halloween expression, ‘skeleton in the closet,’ is a way of saying that someone is hiding a secret or a past mistake. It is also one of the most popular Halloween themes, with people hanging skeletons in their homes, including closets, as part of their festive decoration. Next time you go trick-or-treating or attend a Halloween party, see how many spooky skeletons you can spot. 

7. The writing on the wall 

Like many Halloween idioms, ‘writing on the wall’ has a very spooky meaning. It comes with an air of doom and is often predicting an incoming disaster. It is also used in movies to send a threatening message, just like in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. If you can see the writing on the wall, it means something bad is about to happen. 

8. Stab in the back 

The scary Halloween expression, ‘stab in the back,’ means facing betrayal from someone you thought would never hurt you. It’s as if a trusted person or a loved one has turned on you when you least expected it. This idiom is quite fitting for Halloween, as stabbing in the back would fit right into a horror movie plot. 

9. Graveyard shift 

The Halloween idiom ‘graveyard shift’ means working a late-night shift. It originated in America in the 1800s, when people worked from midnight to early morning, typically until 4 AM. The spooky phrase of working late at night when most people are asleep makes the idiom perfect for Halloween because, according to so many folklores, it’s the time when ghosts come out of their graves to play and when most disasters happen. 

10. Devil’s advocate 

‘Playing devil's advocate’ is a Halloween expression that means to take the opposite side of an argument or opinion in a discussion, not because you actually believe it, but just for the sake of debate. It's interesting how this expression ties into the spirit of Halloween, where some people dress up in villain costumes and play devil's advocate to be a different person for the night for fun and entertainment. 

11. Spill your guts 

Another one of the most commonly used Halloween idioms in English, ‘spill your guts,’ is not as terrifying as it sounds. It means to reveal personal information or secrets about yourself. During Halloween, spill your guts takes on a different role, especially in ghost stories told around bonfires and in the form of spaghetti and sausages on the dinner table at Halloween parties. 

12. Night owl 

One of the most popular Halloween expressions in English is ‘night owl,’ which describes someone who stays up or is most active during nighttime hours. Around Halloween, being a night owl means you will be awake for all the spooky happenings in the witching hours! If you are actually a night owl, you can use your superpowers to improve your English skills while everyone is asleep! 

13. Head in the clouds 

Usually, a teacher's favourite thing to say to a student who is daydreaming or not paying attention is a Halloween idiom called ‘head in the clouds.’ It means you are lost in your thoughts and unaware of creepy things happening around you until it's too late! So, when you’re out at night during Halloween, keep your head out of the clouds! 

Halloween idioms and expressions are not only fun to use but can also help you enhance your language skills in a creative way, just like we do at English Path. Our teachers plan engaging lessons that make learning English fun and exciting! Check out our English courses to improve your English skills and make sure that the next time you're out trick-or-treating or sharing ghost stories, you can use many more Halloween idioms and expressions to set a scary mood. 

Happy haunting!