Love is a feeling people show in many ways. It can be between friends, family members, or people who care about each other. In English, there are special phrases called idioms that help describe love in fun or creative ways. These idioms don’t always mean what the words say, but they help us understand feelings better.
In this lesson, you will learn some common idioms for love. You will find out what they mean and how to use them in real-life sentences. This will help you become better at understanding and using these expressions in your own speaking and writing.
Idioms for Love
1. Head over heels
Meaning: Deeply in love.
Sample Sentences: She was head over heels for her new puppy. / Dad is head over heels for Mom.
Other Way to Say: Crazy about / Totally in love
2. Love at first sight
Meaning: Falling in love the first time you see someone.
Sample Sentences: It was love at first sight when they met at the park. / He felt love at first sight with the puppy.
Other Way to Say: Fell for right away / Instant love
3. Puppy love
Meaning: Young or early love.
Sample Sentences: They had puppy love in second grade. / It was just puppy love when they held hands.
Other Way to Say: Kid crush / Young love
4. Tie the knot
Meaning: Get married.
Sample Sentences: My cousin is going to tie the knot this summer. / They tied the knot last year.
Other Way to Say: Get hitched / Marry
5. Match made in heaven
Meaning: A perfect couple.
Sample Sentences: My grandparents are a match made in heaven. / They go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Other Way to Say: Perfect pair / Meant to be
6. Fall for someone
Meaning: Start to love someone.
Sample Sentences: He started to fall for her in art class. / I think she’s falling for him.
Other Way to Say: Crush on / Like a lot
7. Have a crush on
Meaning: Like someone in a romantic way.
Sample Sentences: She has a crush on the boy who shares his snacks. / I had a crush on my camp friend.
Other Way to Say: Like someone / Secret love
8. Go steady
Meaning: Be in a relationship.
Sample Sentences: They started going steady in middle school. / My aunt and uncle went steady before they got married.
Other Way to Say: Be a couple / Date
9. Pop the question
Meaning: Ask someone to marry.
Sample Sentences: He popped the question at the beach. / She said yes when he popped the question.
Other Way to Say: Ask to marry / Marriage proposal
10. Walk down the aisle
Meaning: Get married.
Sample Sentences: My sister walked down the aisle in a white dress. / They walked down the aisle in a pretty garden.
Other Way to Say: Say “I do” / Wedding day
11. Love birds
Meaning: Two people who are in love.
Sample Sentences: The love birds were always sitting together. / My neighbors are such love birds.
Other Way to Say: Sweet couple / Always together
12. Carry a torch for
Meaning: Still love someone, even if they don’t feel the same.
Sample Sentences: He carried a torch for her even after she moved away. / She still carries a torch for her old friend.
Other Way to Say: Still care / Still in love
13. Heart skips a beat
Meaning: Feel excited or nervous about someone.
Sample Sentences: My heart skipped a beat when I saw her at the dance. / His heart skipped a beat when their hands touched.
Other Way to Say: Feel excited / Get butterflies
14. Love is blind
Meaning: People in love don’t see faults.
Sample Sentences: Love is blind, so she didn’t notice his messy room. / They say love is blind when you ignore problems.
Other Way to Say: Overlook flaws / Don’t see faults
15. Have eyes only for
Meaning: Only love one person.
Sample Sentences: He has eyes only for her. / Even at the party, she had eyes only for him.
Other Way to Say: Focused on one person / True love
16. Lovey-dovey
Meaning: Showing lots of affection.
Sample Sentences: They were all lovey-dovey at the movie theater. / My parents get lovey-dovey on their anniversary.
Other Way to Say: Very sweet / Full of hugs
17. Smitten
Meaning: Deeply in love.
Sample Sentences: He’s smitten with his new girlfriend. / She’s smitten by his kindness.
Other Way to Say: Really like / Taken with
18. Soul mate
Meaning: A perfect match in love.
Sample Sentences: They believe each other is their soul mate. / My aunt says she married her soul mate.
Other Way to Say: True match / Life partner
19. Love you to the moon and back
Meaning: Love someone a lot.
Sample Sentences: I love my mom to the moon and back. / She said she loves her dog to the moon and back.
Other Way to Say: Love you a lot / Huge love
20. Sparks fly
Meaning: Strong feelings between two people.
Sample Sentences: Sparks flew when they met. / You could see the sparks fly at the party.
Other Way to Say: Instant chemistry / Big feelings
21. Lovey eyes
Meaning: Look at someone with affection.
Sample Sentences: He gave her lovey eyes at lunch. / She had lovey eyes for her pet cat.
Other Way to Say: Heart eyes / Love look
22. Love struck
Meaning: Feel hit by love.
Sample Sentences: He was love struck the moment he saw her. / She walked in, and he looked totally love struck.
Other Way to Say: Hit by love / In a daze
23. Wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: Show your feelings openly.
Sample Sentences: She wears her heart on her sleeve and always shares her feelings. / He wore his heart on his sleeve when he gave her the card.
Other Way to Say: Show feelings / Open-hearted
24. All loved up
Meaning: Full of love and happy.
Sample Sentences: They were all loved up during the holiday. / She was all loved up after the sweet note.
Other Way to Say: Happy in love / Feeling sweet
25. Sweet on someone
Meaning: Like someone a lot.
Sample Sentences: He’s sweet on the girl in his math class. / I think she’s sweet on the boy who shares his snacks.
Other Way to Say: Like someone / Crush
26. Love makes the world go round
Meaning: Love is the most important thing.
Sample Sentences: Grandma says love makes the world go round. / We helped because love makes the world go round.
Other Way to Say: Love matters most / Love is key
27. Love me, love my dog
Meaning: If you love me, you should accept what I love too.
Sample Sentences: Love me, love my dog, she said when her puppy jumped on him. / He brought his frog and said, “Love me, love my frog!”
Other Way to Say: Accept all of me / Love what I love
28. To be an item
Meaning: Two people are in a relationship.
Sample Sentences: They’re an item now. / People say they’ve been an item since summer.
Other Way to Say: A couple / Together
29. Catch someone’s eye
Meaning: Get someone’s attention in a romantic way.
Sample Sentences: She caught his eye at recess. / He caught her eye with his funny dance.
Other Way to Say: Got noticed / Caught attention
30. Take your breath away
Meaning: Someone or something is so lovely you stop for a second.
Sample Sentences: Her smile took his breath away. / The card she made took my breath away.
Other Way to Say: So lovely / Stopped me
31. Be your Valentine
Meaning: Be someone’s special person on Valentine’s Day.
Sample Sentences: She asked him to be her Valentine. / I gave a card asking, “Will you be my Valentine?”
Other Way to Say: Be mine / Special person
32. On cloud nine
Meaning: Feel very happy.
Sample Sentences: After their first date, he was on cloud nine. / She was on cloud nine when she got the note.
Other Way to Say: Super happy / Floating with joy
33. Hit it off
Meaning: Get along right away.
Sample Sentences: They hit it off at the party. / We hit it off while working on our project.
Other Way to Say: Got along great / Clicked
34. Crazy about
Meaning: Really like someone.
Sample Sentences: He’s crazy about her drawings. / I’m crazy about my best friend.
Other Way to Say: Really like / Love a lot
35. My better half
Meaning: A way to say someone is your loved one or partner.
Sample Sentences: Dad calls Mom his better half. / She said her better half always brings her coffee.
Other Way to Say: Special someone / Love partner
36. Be sweet on someone
Meaning: Like someone a lot in a kind way.
Sample Sentences: He’s sweet on the girl in science class. / She’s sweet on her pen pal.
Other Way to Say: Crush / Like a lot
37. Hold a special place in your heart
Meaning: Care deeply about someone.
Sample Sentences: My grandma holds a special place in my heart. / My best friend will always hold a special place in my heart.
Other Way to Say: Loved one / Someone special
38. The apple of your eye
Meaning: Someone you care about the most.
Sample Sentences: Her baby brother is the apple of her eye. / Dad says I’m the apple of his eye.
Other Way to Say: Favorite person / Loved one
39. Love grows
Meaning: Feelings of love get stronger with time.
Sample Sentences: Their love grew from friendship. / Love grows when you care for someone.
Other Way to Say: Love gets bigger / Love builds
40. Give your heart to
Meaning: Choose to love someone.
Sample Sentences: He gave his heart to her on Valentine’s Day. / I gave my heart to my family.
Other Way to Say: Show love / Love someone fully
41. Have a soft spot for
Meaning: Always like someone no matter what.
Sample Sentences: I have a soft spot for my little cousin. / She has a soft spot for animals.
Other Way to Say: Like a lot / Care for
42. Love knows no bounds
Meaning: Love is not stopped by anything.
Sample Sentences: Her love for her dog knows no bounds. / Love knows no bounds, even across miles.
Other Way to Say: Endless love / Big love
43. Whisper sweet nothings
Meaning: Say soft, loving words.
Sample Sentences: They whispered sweet nothings to each other at the dance. / He whispered sweet nothings on the phone.
Other Way to Say: Say sweet things / Loving talk
44. Made for each other
Meaning: Two people are a great match.
Sample Sentences: Everyone says they’re made for each other. / My aunt and uncle are made for each other.
Other Way to Say: Perfect pair / Great together
45. Be love-struck
Meaning: Strongly feel love.
Sample Sentences: He looked love-struck when she smiled. / She was love-struck after their first talk.
Other Way to Say: Heart taken / In love
46. Your heart belongs to
Meaning: You love only one person.
Sample Sentences: Her heart belongs to him. / My heart belongs to my family.
Other Way to Say: I love only you / Special love
47. Like two peas in a pod
Meaning: Very close and alike.
Sample Sentences: They’re like two peas in a pod. / My friend and I are like two peas in a pod.
Other Way to Say: Super close / Very alike
48. Heart of gold
Meaning: A kind and loving person.
Sample Sentences: She has a heart of gold. / My teacher has a heart of gold.
Other Way to Say: Very kind / Full of love
49. Wear love glasses
Meaning: Only see the good in someone because of love.
Sample Sentences: He wears love glasses when it comes to her. / Love glasses made her ignore the mess.
Other Way to Say: Only see the good / Love-blind
50. Be the light of someone’s life
Meaning: Be the most loved person.
Sample Sentences: Her daughter is the light of her life. / My dog is the light of my life.
Other Way to Say: Most special one / Most loved
51. Crazy in love
Meaning: Very deeply in love.
Sample Sentences: They’re crazy in love. / He’s crazy in love with his cat.
Other Way to Say: Wild about / Super in love
52. Hit by Cupid’s arrow
Meaning: Fall in love suddenly.
Sample Sentences: It was like he was hit by Cupid’s arrow. / She looked like Cupid’s arrow struck her.
Other Way to Say: Fell in love fast / Love-struck
53. Fall head over heels
Meaning: Fall deeply in love.
Sample Sentences: He fell head over heels at the dance. / She fell head over heels for the new kid.
Other Way to Say: Deeply in love / Totally taken
54. Love is in the air
Meaning: Everyone feels love.
Sample Sentences: On Valentine’s Day, love was in the air. / At the wedding, love was in the air.
Other Way to Say: Loving mood / Feel the love
55. Give someone butterflies
Meaning: Feel nervous and excited around someone you like.
Sample Sentences: He gives me butterflies when he smiles. / She felt butterflies before the school dance.
Other Way to Say: Feel jumpy / Feel excited love
Multiple Choice Quiz: Idioms for Love
1. What does “head over heels” mean?
A. Falling down
B. Very in love
C. Getting dizzy
2. If someone says, “It was love at first sight,” what do they mean?
A. They saw something scary
B. They fell in love right away
C. They blinked too fast
3. What does “puppy love” usually describe?
A. A pet dog’s favorite food
B. A love that is deep and serious
C. A sweet and young kind of love
4. “Jake has a crush on someone.” What does that mean?
A. He broke something
B. He really likes someone
C. He’s sad
5. What does “lovebirds” mean when talking about people?
A. Two birds in a tree
B. Two people who argue
C. Two people who like each other a lot
6. “My heart skips a beat when she smiles.” What does that mean?
A. He has a heart problem
B. He is happy and excited
C. He wants to run
7. If someone “wears their heart on their sleeve,” what are they doing?
A. Showing their feelings
B. Wearing a heart sticker
C. Playing dress-up
8. “They tied the knot last Saturday.” What happened?
A. They went sailing
B. They got married
C. They played a rope game
9. What does “give someone butterflies” mean?
A. To give someone an insect
B. To make someone feel nervous and excited
C. To talk about bugs
10. “She has a heart of gold.” What does that say about her?
A. She is rich
B. She wears shiny clothes
C. She is very kind
11. “They’re going out” means what?
A. They are outside
B. They are dating
C. They are leaving school
12. What does “crazy in love” mean?
A. Being silly with your pet
B. Having strong feelings for someone
C. Going to the doctor
Answer Key
- B. Very in love
- B. They fell in love right away
- C. A sweet and young kind of love
- B. He really likes someone
- C. Two people who like each other a lot
- B. He is happy and excited
- A. Showing their feelings
- B. They got married
- B. To make someone feel nervous and excited
- C. She is very kind
- B. They are dating
- B. Having strong feelings for someone
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Love Idiom Master!
You really understand love expressions! - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding love idioms.
You’re doing great just a little more practice! - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
Keep learning. You’re halfway there! - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore the world of love idioms together.
That’s okay! These phrases can take time to learn.
Conclusion
Love idioms help us talk about feelings in fun and simple ways. These phrases can make writing and speaking more interesting. By learning idioms like head over heels or puppy love, you can better understand how people express strong emotions.
Keep using what you learned to spot idioms in books, shows, or conversations. The more you practice, the easier it will be to use them in your own writing.
