Love idioms and phrases with meanings and example sentences

Love is a strong feeling that makes you care a lot about someone or something. It means you feel happy when they're happy, you feel sad when they are sad, and you want to be always there for them.

Expressing love in different ways helps capture the many feelings that come with it. Simple words sometimes don't show all the excitement, joy, or the butterflies in your stomach that love can bring. Using idioms makes it easier for people to understand and relate to what you're feeling. Below is a list of common love idioms and phrases with their meanings and example sentences to help you understand them easily.

💖 Falling in love idioms

1. Love at first sight – Love at first sight is the strong feeling you experience when you see someone for the first time and you immediately feel attracted to them.
It was love at first sight when she saw him at the café.

2. Head over heels in love – Being head over heels in love means you are completely and deeply in love with someone. You think about that person all the time and feel very excited every time you see or hear from them.
He's head over heels in love with her.

3. The apple of someone's eye – It is an expression used to describe someone who is very special to you. For example, a parent might say their child is the apple of their eye.
His wife is the apple of his eye.

4. Love is blind – "Love is blind" means that when someone is in love, they do not always see the mistakes of the person they love.
She always forgive him because love is blind.

5. Butterflies in the stomach – This expression describes the nervousness and excitement you feel when you really like someone or are about to do something important.
I get butterflies in my stomach whenever I see him.

6. Steal someone’s heart - If someone or something steals your heart, it means you have fallen in love with them.
His kindness stole her heart.

💑 Romantic relationship

7. Match made in heaven – This idiom can be used to talk about a perfect couple. It means that two people are perfect for each other. They get along very well, understand each other, and make each other happy. Their relationship feels natural and special, as if they were meant to be together. People often use this phrase for couples who share similar values and interests. It suggests that their love is strong and lasting, like it was planned by fate.
They are truly a match made in heaven.

8. Lovebirds – This word is used to describe two people who are very much in love with each other. They enjoy spending time together and show their affection. They act like real lovebirds, which are small, affectionate birds that like to stay close to their partners.
Those two lovebirds are inseparable.

9. Tie the knot – To get married. The idiom comes from the idea of tying a strong knot that cannot be easily undone, just like a marriage is meant to be a lasting bond.
They are planning to tie the knot next year.

10. Pop the question – To ask someone to marry you. People often use this idiom when talking about a marriage proposal, especially when someone plans a surprise or a romantic way to ask someone to marry them.
He popped the question during a romantic dinner.

11. Sweep someone off their feet – To make someone fall in love. It usually happens when a person is very charming, kind, or romantic.
He swept her off her feet with his charm.

12. Wear your heart on your sleeve – When you wear your heart on your sleeve, it means that you show your emotions instead of hiding them. It is not necessarily about love.
Jack is someone that wears his heart on his sleeve.

💔 Heartbreak & breakup idioms

13. Break someone's heart – To deeply hurt someone emotionally. It happens when one person hurts another by ending the relationship, being unfaithful, or losing feelings over time. The pain feels deep, as if the heart is literally ripped off. People use this idiom to describe strong emotions of sadness and disappointment in love.
She broke his heart when she left him.

14. Love-hate relationship – When someone has strong feelings of both love and dislike toward something or someone at the same time, it is called a love-hate relationship. For example, a person might love their job because it is exciting but hate it because it is stressful.
Their love-hate relationship is exhausting.

15. Kiss and make up – To reconcile after a fight.
They always kiss and make up after arguments.

16. Cry one's heart out – To cry a lot due to heartbreak.
She cried her heart out after the breakup.

17. On the rocks – A relationship that is in trouble or going through a difficult time.
Their marriage is on the rocks.

💍 Marriage & commitment idioms

18. Seal the deal – To make an agreement (or commitment) official or final. It is often used when two people or groups reach a decision, and everything is settled. This phrase comes from the old practice of sealing a letter or document with a wax seal to show that it was completed. In relationships, it can be used when a couple decide to get married. It shows that the decision is firm and final.
They sealed the deal with a wedding ceremony.

19. Walk down the aisle – To get married. It refers to the moment in a wedding ceremony when the bride walks down the aisle towards the groom to symbolie the start of their life together as a married couple.
She's ready to walk down the aisle.

20. Grow old together – To stay together for life. It’s the romantic idea of being with a partner for many years, supporting each other through different stages of life.
They want to grow old together.

21. Marry in haste, repent at leisure – If you rush into marriage without thinking carefully, you may regret it later.
Think carefully before marrying; marry in haste, repent at leisure.

22. Wedding bells are ringing – You can use this idiom to announce that a wedding is about to happen.
Wedding bells are ringing for them!

💘 Love expressions and phrases

23. Love rat – An unfaithful partner.
He’s a love rat; he cheated on me three times.

24. Lovey-dovey – If two people are lovey-dovey, it means that they are very affectionate with each other and manifest their love in public by holding hands, cuddling, or using sweet and loving words.
They’re so lovey-dovey—always holding hands!

25. Old flame – Someone that you loved in the past.
I ran into my old flame this morning.

26. Crush – It is a term often used by adolescents to express a strong feeling of attraction to someone.
Who is your crush?

27. Soulmate – A person you feel an extremely strong connection with, as if they were "made" for you. They understand you deeply, share your values or life goals, and make you feel loved and accepted for who you are.
I knew he was my soulmate from our first conversation.

28. Hit it off – Immediately connect or get along with someone.
We hit it off on our first date and talked for hours.

29. Fall for someone – To suddenly develop strong feelings for someone.
I never expected to fall for my best friend.

30. Third wheel – An unwanted extra person in a couple’s date.
I felt like a third wheel at the dinner with my sister and her boyfriend.

31. Whirlwind romance – A whirlwind romance is a relationship where two people fall in love and make serious commitments after knowing each other only for a short time. For example, two persons might meet at a concert, start dating each other soon after, and decide to marry within a month.
They had a whirlwind romance and got married after dating for only two months.

32. Catch feelings – To develop romantic emotions with someone unexpectedly.
I didn’t expect to catch feelings for my gym buddy.

33. Love triangle – A love triangle is a situation where three people are involved in a romantic connection, often leading to a conflict. It happens when one person has feelings for two different people, or when two people have feelings for the same person.
The film’s plot revolves around a messy love triangle.

34. Puppy love – Puppy love is when you have a big crush on someone, usually when you’re young (adolescent). It feels exciting and sweet, but it usually doesn’t last very long.
Sarah was my puppy love in high school.