Change: English Vocabulary List

in a way that is not possible to be changed

"The date is in stone."

"Once the contract is signed, the terms and conditions will be set in stone."

in the same situation for such a long time that it is no longer appealing

"My job is in a rut."

"After years of doing the same monotonous tasks, she felt she was stuck in a rut and needed a change."

to reach a significant stage in development and become accepted by the majority of people

"He came of age."

"The young artist finally came of age when her work was recognized by the international art community."

a complete or notable change compared to what the situation originally was

"A sea change happened."

"The company experienced a sea change in its corporate culture after the new CEO took over."

a combination of both good things and bad things that can happen to one

"Life has its ups and downs."

"Every long term relationship has its ups and downs but love helps you get through them."

to be passed to another owner

"The shop will change hands."

"The historic bookstore is expected to change hands next quarter after the owner's retirement."

to allow another person to continue one's work or to take care of one's responsibilities

"The retiring CEO passed the torch to his daughter."

"The retiring CEO passed the torch to his successor who promised to continue the company's tradition of excellence and innovation."

something that becomes so familiar to someone that it can be done without thinking

"Driving became second nature."

"Driving became second nature after years of practice and she no longer had to think about the controls."

to make changes to one's behavior or mindset in order to become a better and more responsible person

"He turned over a new leaf."

"After getting out of prison he decided to turn over a new leaf and start an honest life."

to put a stop to one's habit, particularly one that is harmful or dangerous

"He finally kicked the habit of smoking."

"After twenty years of smoking he finally managed to break the habit with the help of nicotine patches and strong willpower."

a situation or experience that involves significant ups and downs, sudden changes, or intense shifts in emotions, circumstances, or events

"Life is a roller coaster."

"The stock market is a roller coaster and prices go up and down dramatically every day."

to fundamentally transform something, often with far-reaching consequence

"Technology changed the face of music."

"The invention of the internet completely changed the face of communication, making it faster and more accessible to everyone."

a regular or repeated change

"The tide has ebb and flow."

"The ebb and flow of the stock market can be stressful for investors who do not have patience for long term growth."

to stay the same despite time and progress in society, technology, or culture

"The old village seems stuck in a time warp."

"The old village seems to be stuck in a time warp with its narrow streets and traditional shops unchanged for a hundred years."

to celebrate the end of the year and prepare for a new year

"Ring out the old."

"Fireworks lit up the sky as the city gathered to ring out the old year and welcome the new."

something that is changing all the time and cannot be easily predicted

"The political landscape is shifting sands."

"The political landscape is shifting sands and yesterday's allies are today's enemies."

to become extremely angry, agitated, or upset

"He went through roof."

"When he discovered the betrayal, his anger went through the roof."

to experience a sudden and significant decline in one's emotional state, confidence, financial situation, etc.

"His confidence went through floor."

"Sales went through the floor after the bad publicity and the company struggled to stay in business for the next year."

to not interfere with or try to improve something that is already satisfactory or functioning well

"Leave it well alone."

"The old painting was damaged but the restorer decided to leave well enough alone rather than risk making it worse."

to follow the current plans, expectations, or rules, often indicating a need to adjust, cooperate, or keep up to date with others or the existing situation

"Get with the program."

"The new employee needs to get with the program and start following company rules instead of complaining constantly."

someone who only tends to stay at a place, particularly a house, for a relatively short period of time before moving on to another

"He is a bird of passage."

"As a bird of passage, he rarely stayed in one city for more than a few months."

to let go of outdated practices or beliefs and embrace changes

"Ring out the old year."

"It is time to ring out the old year and embrace the transformative changes that the new one promises."

(especially of prices) to increase suddenly and dramatically

"Prices will go through the roof."

"With the sudden surge in demand and limited supply, the cost of essential goods is expected to go through the roof."