Love Idioms: 30 Popular Idioms about Love in English

Have you ever heard someone say they were “head over heels in love”? Or that they “wore their heart on their sleeve”? These are just a couple of examples of love idioms that are commonly used in the English language. But what do they actually mean?

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most popular love idioms and their meanings, so you can start using them in your everyday conversations.

Learn more about Sweet Idioms in English

Idioms about Love

Table of Contents

Love Idioms in English

List of Idioms about Love

Here is the list of most frequently used idioms about Love:

A match made in heaven
An item
Better half
Birds of a feather flock together
Blind date
Double date
Head over heels
Love is blind
Love me, love my dog
Lovey-dovey
Other half
Puppy love
The apple of someone’s eye
Those three little words
To be hung up on someone
To fall for
To (take a) fancy (to) someone
To fix/set someone up
To get hitched
To go dutch
To go steady with someone
To have a crush on someone
To hit it off
To pop the question
To say ‘I do!’
To settle down with someone
To take someone’s breath away
To tie the knot
To whisper sweet nothings
Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Love Idioms with their Meaning

A match made in heaven

Meaning: A relationship/pairing in which each member/part perfectly complements the other
John and Mary are such a great couple, they’re a match made in heaven.

An item

Meaning: A couple who are involved in an established relationship
Did you hear that Jack and Jill are now an item?

Better half

Meaning: Partner/spouse
My wife is my better half, she completes me.

Birds of a feather flock together

Meaning: People who have the same outlook/tastes/interests will be found in each other’s company
Susan and Lisa are always together, they’re birds of a feather.

Blind date

Meaning: A meeting between two people who do not know each other, arranged in the hope that a romance might develop between them
I’m nervous about tonight’s blind date, I hope it goes well.

Double date

Meaning: A social occasion attended by two couples
We’re going on a double date with Tom and Jane tonight.

Head over heels

Meaning: Intensely in love
Sarah is head over heels in love with Mark.

Love is blind

Meaning: When you love someone, you no longer see/care about their faults
Sometimes we do silly things for love, it’s true that love is blind.

Love me, love my dog

Meaning: If you love someone you must accept everything about them including their faults
If you want to be with me, you have to love my dog too – love me, love my dog.

Lovey-dovey

Meaning: Romantic and affectionate (often excessively so)
Jack and Jill are always so lovey-dovey, it’s adorable.

Other half

Meaning: Partner/spouse
My husband is my other half, we complete each other.

Puppy love

Meaning: Intense, new, and usually superficial love (often said in reference to love experienced by teenagers)
I remember my puppy love from high school, it was so innocent and pure.

The apple of someone’s eye

Meaning: The person someone adores
My daughter is the apple of my eye, I love her more than anything.

Those three little words

Meaning: The words ‘I love you’
Saying “I love you” is so important, those three little words can change everything.

To be hung up on someone

Meaning: To long for/be obsessed with someone
I think she’s still hung up on her ex-boyfriend, she can’t stop talking about him.

To fall for

Meaning: To fall in love with
I fell for her the moment I met her, she’s amazing.

To (take a) fancy (to) someone

Meaning: To become fond of/attracted to someone
I think I’m starting to take a fancy to my coworker, she’s really funny and smart.

To fix/set someone up

Meaning: To arrange a meeting between two people in the hope that they might develop a romantic connection
I’m going to fix my friend up with my brother, they would make a great couple.

To get hitched

Meaning: To get married
We’re getting hitched next summer, I can’t wait!

To go dutch

Meaning: To equally share the cost of something (usually a meal)
Let’s go dutch tonight, we’ll each pay for our own dinner.

To go steady with someone

Meaning: To be in a relationship with someone
We’ve been going steady for a year now, things are going really well.

To have a crush on someone

Meaning: To be attracted to someone
I have a huge crush on the guy who works at the coffee shop, he’s so cute.

To hit it off

Meaning: To immediately get on with someone
John and Peter hit it off right away, they have so much in common.

To pop the question

Meaning: To propose marriage
He’s planning to pop the question on their anniversary, I hope she says yes!

To say ‘I do!’

Meaning: To agree to marriage (in reference to making vows in the wedding ceremony)
When the priest asked if he takes her to be his wife, he said “I do!” with a big smile.

To settle down with someone

Meaning: To adopt a steady and stable lifestyle with someone (sometimes after marriage and with the intention of having children)
After years of traveling and exploring, he’s finally ready to settle down with the love of his life.

To take someone’s breath away

Meaning: To inspire the feeling of awe in someone
The view from the top of the mountain takes my breath away every time.

To tie the knot

Meaning: To marry
They’re going to tie the knot in a small ceremony with just family and close friends.

To whisper sweet nothings

Meaning: To whisper words of affection
Jack leaned in close and whispered sweet nothings into Jill’s ear, making her blush.

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning: Two people, especially two people who are in love, should be left alone
I’m going to have a quiet night in with my partner tonight, two’s company, three’s a crowd.

Types of Love

Puppy love

Puppy love refers to a type of romantic love that is characterized by young or adolescent infatuation or crushes. The term “puppy love” suggests that the love is not yet fully formed or mature, and may be more fleeting and innocent than adult romantic love. It is often associated with young teenagers who experience their first romantic feelings towards someone else, but may not yet fully understand what it means to be in a committed relationship. The term “puppy love” is not usually used to describe more serious or long-term relationships between adults.

Young love

Meaning: Said of one’s first boyfriend or girlfriend or very young people who think they are in love; implies innocence and wonder.

Young love is the romantic love experienced during teenage years or early adulthood. It’s often intense and filled with strong feelings of attraction, excitement, and infatuation. However, this type of love can also be confusing and uncertain, as partners may not yet fully understand the nature of the relationship. Young love typically focuses on physical attraction and intimacy, and often involves a desire for social acceptance and approval from peers.

First love

Meaning: The first person one falls in love with.

First love refers to the first experience of romantic love that someone has. It’s often associated with feelings of excitement, happiness, and intense emotions. First love can occur during adolescence or early adulthood, and is typically characterized by a sense of novelty and discovery, as well as a desire for emotional and physical intimacy.

Love at first sight

Meaning: The act of falling in love the first time one sees someone.

‘Love at first sight’ is a romantic attraction or feeling of love that someone experiences immediately upon seeing another person for the first time. It’s a popular idea that suggests that people can instantly fall in love with someone based on their physical appearance, body language, or other non-verbal cues.

True love

Meaning: A genuine feeling of romantic love; often said playfully.

Unrequited love

Meaning: Love that is not reciprocated, not retuned; a one-way love.

Frequently Asked Questions on Love Idioms

What are love idioms?

Love idioms are phrases or expressions that are commonly used to describe love, relationships, or romantic situations.

Can you give some examples of love idioms?

Sure, here are some examples: head over heels in love, love at first sight, wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve, the apple of one’s eye, to be smitten with someone, to have a crush on someone, to be love-struck, to be lovey-dovey, to be swept off one’s feet.

How can I use love idioms in my writing or conversation?

Love idioms can be used to add color and flair to your writing or conversation. For example, instead of simply saying “I like him a lot,” you could say “I’m head over heels in love with him.” Just be careful not to overuse them or use them inappropriately, as that can come across as forced or insincere.