Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Thrilled to bits

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Thrilled to bits" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourEmotions & Reactions collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Emotions & Reactions

Thrilled to bits

Thrilled to bits
Extremely pleased, happy, or excited about something.
History & Origin

The idiom originated in the United Kingdom in the early 20th century, combining the word 'thrilled' (shaken or deeply moved with emotion) with 'bits', referring to small pieces. The phrase draws on the literal concept of being so intensely excited that one's body or composure 'shatters' into tiny fragments. It evolved from similar historic British expressions like 'shattered to bits' or 'pleased to pieces'.

Examples
Casual Conversation

I was absolutely thrilled to bits when Sarah called to tell me she got the job.

Workplace Email

The entire team is thrilled to bits with the positive client feedback we received on the project launch yesterday.

News/Media

Local residents are thrilled to bits after the council announced funding to restore the historic community park.

Formal Speech

As the director of this foundation, I am thrilled to bits by the extraordinary generosity of our donors tonight.

Academic Writing

While native speakers are often thrilled to bits upon receiving high proficiency scores, researchers note that motivation levels must remain stable post-examination.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. After dropping his phone on the hard concrete sidewalk, he was thrilled to bits.

B. She was thrilled to bits when she opened the envelope and saw she had passed her driving test.

C. Please cut the birthday cake into small, delicate pieces so everyone can be thrilled to bits.

D. The long, boring lecture on tax regulations left the entire audience feeling completely thrilled to bits.