Words and Their Stories programs explain idioms and expressions that many learners of American English find difficult to understand.

Latest episodes of the podcast Words and Their Stories - VOA Learning English

• What Good Comes from 'Casting a Wide Net'? - May 03, 2024
• To Pull or Not to Pull Punches - April 25, 2024
• Are You the Windshield or the Bug? - April 19, 2024
• Many People 'Thank Their Lucky Stars' - April 12, 2024
• Is It Real or Bogus? - April 03, 2024
• What Are Your ‘True Colors’? - March 28, 2024
• When Is Something 'Ancient History'? - March 21, 2024
• When Do You 'Go Against the Grain'? - March 15, 2024
• 'Dip Your Toes' or 'Take the Plunge'? - March 08, 2024
• Read the Riot Act - February 29, 2024
• Influence Others from a 'Bully Pulpit' - February 22, 2024
• US Presidents Like to Make Up Words, Expressions - February 15, 2024
• Why Do Married Couples 'Tie the Knot'? - February 08, 2024
• Do You Have a 'Doppelgänger'? - February 01, 2024
• Snow Day? Don't Be 'Left Out in the Cold' - January 24, 2024
• Marathon or Sprint? - January 17, 2024
• Walk Before You Can Run - January 10, 2024
• Do You Color Inside or Outside the Lines? - January 05, 2024
• Goal! Do You Have One for 2024? - December 28, 2023
• The World in Other Words in 2023 - December 27, 2023
• 'Tis the Season! - December 20, 2023
• When Does a Problem 'Snowball'? - December 14, 2023
• AI, Hallucinate, Authentic or Rizz for Word of the Year - December 05, 2023
• It's Time to 'See the Light' - November 30, 2023
• Merriam-Webster Chooses ‘Authentic’ as Word of the Year - November 27, 2023
• 'State-of-the-Art' Is the Best of Its Time - November 17, 2023
• Are You 'Sitting Pretty'? - November 09, 2023
• 'Straight From the Horse's Mouth' - October 31, 2023
• 'Birds of a Feather...' - October 27, 2023
• How Do You Define Success? - October 20, 2023
• The Bad Side of Roses - October 13, 2023
• How Do You Stay 'In Shape'? - October 05, 2023
• 'Boilerplate' Language Is All Business - September 28, 2023
• No Need to 'Gild the Lily' - September 21, 2023
• 'Icing on the Cake' Is As Good As It Sounds - September 13, 2023
• What Is 'Empty Nest Syndrome'? - September 08, 2023
• Explore from Your 'Armchair' - September 01, 2023
• What Does 'On a Shoestring' Mean? - August 25, 2023
• Make Your Home 'Spick-and-Span' - August 15, 2023
• Learn When to Wear 'Kid Gloves' - August 11, 2023
• 'Run Something Up the Flagpole' to Test an Idea - August 01, 2023
• 'Beating a Dead Horse' Is Pointless - July 27, 2023
• Seeing 'Double'? - July 20, 2023
• 'To Sink or Swim' Is Up to You - July 12, 2023
• Differences Between Board, on Board, Aboard - July 07, 2023
• 'All Thumbs' - June 28, 2023
• 'In The Hot Seat' Is Not Where You Want to Be - June 22, 2023
• Are You Prepared 'to See How the Sausage Is Made'? - June 15, 2023
• Let's 'Zero in' on Number Expressions - June 08, 2023
• 'Clean As a Whistle' - June 01, 2023