It can be difficult to navigate the early stages of a romantic relationship, but it certainly helps if you have the right words to describe your feelings. This list of English idioms about relationships will let you discuss the good and bad sides of dating, romance and relationships.
Of course, you can also have a non-romantic relationship in the sense of a business relationship or a friendship, but here we are focusing on the more romantic side of relationship idioms.
Although the topic of love, friendship and dating can be tricky, we want to make it easy for you to understand these idioms. Therefore, you’ll find definitions and examples to accompany each one. Let’s get started by looking at the positive side of romance!
Positive idioms about relationships
Be an item
Let’s start our list of idioms about relationships with a fun informal one. To be an item is a causal way of saying to be in a romantic relationship together. Another similar phrase is be a couple.
“Oh, didn’t you know? They have been an item for a while now.”
We often use euphemisms like this to talk about romance and other personal topics in a more abstract way.
Blind date
Interestingly, you can either be ON a blind date or be WITH a blind date! As an event, it’s an arranged social meeting between two people who don’t know each other. As they have never met before, it’s normally arranged by well-intentioned friends or family.
Either person on the date can also be called the blind date.
“Gosh, I’m so embarrassed. My mum set me up on a blind date with our neighbor.”
“So, are you going to see your blind date again then?”
Carry a torch (for)
Thankfully, are plenty of relationship idioms to describe being in love with someone. And this is what carrying a torch means. It’s an unusual way to say that you’re in love with someone, but it also usually means you have kept it a secret from the person.
“It’s quite cute really that she still carries a torch for him.”
Go a long way back / Go back a long way
Some relationship idioms don’t just apply to romantic situations, and go a long way back is one of them. This particular expression can apply to any kind of relationship or friendship where you have known each other for a long time.
“We went to the same nursery, so I guess you could say we go back a long way.”
If you need more examples of friendship idioms we have a whole list available.
Go out (with)
If you are going out with someone, it’s another way to say you are dating them. This phrase is more likely to be used to describe relationships between younger people.
“I heard you’re going out with Lacey now?”
“James and I have been going out for five months now.”
You can also ask someone out, which means to ask them on a date.
“I think I’m going to finally ask Kyla out.”
“Would you like to go out with me at the weekend?”
Hit it off
Another phrase that can be used to describe friendship or romance is hit it off. When you hit it off with someone, it simply means you are well suited for each other, got along well, and are naturally friendly with each other.
“It was such an amazing date, we really hit if off and I’m seeing her again tomorrow.”
Soft spot
A soft spot can sometimes be considered a weakness or vulnerability, but it can also mean strong feelings of tenderness. In the context of relationships and dating, it means that you feel love or affection for someone.
“If you ask me, I think he’s got a bit of a soft spot for you.”
You can also have a soft spot for certain things rather than people.
Like chalk and cheese
If you say two people are like chalk and cheese, it means they are completely different to each other. But, as they say, opposites attract – so it’s not always a bad thing to have differences!
“Stacey and Henry are like chalk and cheese but their relationship seems to be going well.”
Summer fling
A romantic relationship that happens while on vacation can be known as a summer fling or a summer romance. It may last the whole holiday or just a few days, but doesn’t continue once the two people return to their separate homes.
“The vacation ended and we never spoke again; I should have known it was just a summer fling.”
This is just one of many idioms about summer for you to enjoy.
Take your breath away
A person, situation, or even a stunning view can take your breath away. In connection to dating idioms, it would be meeting a person that fills you with awe and delight due to their beauty.
“From the moment I first laid eyes on Jemima, she took my breath away.”
“I can’t wait to see what you’ve planned for our date. I’m sure it will take my breath away.”
For more ways to describe things positively, check out these ‘good’ idioms or discover some more idioms about beauty.
Be smitten
If these idioms about relationships are making you feel romantic, you’ll love this next one. To be smitten with someone is to have deep and strong feelings of love and attraction towards them.
“Listen to yourself! You’ve only been on two dates and you’re already smitten!”
Get on like a house on fire
Similar to the relationship idiom hit it off, to get on like a house on fire means to get along very quickly and form a strong bond with someone.
“I met this incredible guy last night. We got on like a house on fire and I can’t wait to see him again.”
Check out some more fire idioms and idioms about houses if you’re interested!
Negative relationship idioms
Sadly, relationships are not fairytales and romance doesn’t always last. Here are some dating and relationship idioms to use to describe the difficult times.
Bad blood
When people have ill feelings, resentment or dislike towards each, other this can be called bad blood. This unfriendliness or hostility may go back a long way. This one can relate to any kind of relationship.
“They’ve had bad blood for a while now.”
You may have wondered what this meant in the song of the same name by Taylor Swift.
Break up
Breaking up or splitting up with someone means ending your relationship. You can also describe this as a breakup.
“I think we should break up. It’s just not working out between us.”
“The breakup was easier than I had expected, but still, we both cried a little.”
Broken heart
Although not physically broken, it may feel that way. A broken heart is the feeling of sorrow and grief you get after the end of a relationship or perhaps upon hearing sad news like a death of a loved one.
“She just needs some time alone. I think the breakup has broken her heart.”
This expression is an example of a Biblical idiom, but there are many other heart-related idioms for you to explore.
Build bridges
It may not be one of the happy idioms about relationships, but at least it’s hopeful. When you build bridges you are trying to find ways to improve relationships between two people (or groups of people) who do not like each other or have different views.
“I think the best thing we can do now is to build bridges and move on.”
A similar saying is to ‘build a bridge and get over it’. This time you are saying it’s time to move forward and move past the problem.
The opposite of this would be to burn bridges. This means that you do something that damages your relationship to a point that it may be difficult to recover in the future.
Plenty more fish in the sea
Also an idiom that offers hope about dating, this is one to say to someone if you want to console them about the end of a relationship. It just means that there are still many more people out there who could be a potential partner.
“I know it feels tough right now, but there are plenty more fish in the sea.”
This also features on our ocean idioms list.
Get on someone’s nerves
Hopefully no one says this about you, but if you get on someone’s nerves it means you are annoying or irritating them. This doesn’t just apply to people, but to anything at all that may be aggravating you.
“At first I thought she was perfect, but now she keeps getting on my nerves.”
“That sound is really getting on my nerves. Can you stop it please?”
Fair-weather friend
Not one of the most popular idioms about relationships, but all the same, worth knowing. Fair-weather friends are only your friends when things are easy. In times of difficulty, they let you down and aren’t there to help.
“You find out who is just a fair-weather friend when times are hard. Only true friends stick around.”
In the heat of the moment
The heat of the moment is a period of time when you are angry, excited or flustered, and therefore not thinking clearly. The problem with this moment is that sometimes you say things that you shouldn’t or act in a way that you later regret when you have calmed down.
“We both said some things in the heat of the moment that we regret now.”
“I don’t know what came over me in the heat of the moment, but I kissed her!”
If this idiom gets you hot and bothered then check out a whole list of heat-related idioms.
On the rocks
This idiom describes difficult times that we all go through in life. If you say your relationship or marriage is on the rocks, it means you are experiencing trials or troubles. You may even be considering splitting up.
“To be honest, I think their marriage is on the rocks.”
There are plenty of other marriage idioms to look through.
Strange bedfellows
This is quite a fun little saying. People who are strange bedfellows are connected somehow but have very different points of view. The connection could be via marriage, work or a hobby, but they believe in opposite things or seem an unlikely pairing.
“You know the butcher down the road? He’s just started dating a vegan! What strange bedfellows.”
Star-crossed lovers
This star idiom was coined by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. It is now such a well-known phrase that we can describe a couple as star-crossed lovers if their relationship is destined to fail or end in tragedy.
“The star-crossed lovers tried their best to make the relationship work, but in the end, their families wouldn’t allow it.”
Sworn enemies
There are many reasons why people or groups may dislike each other. When the dispute or rivalry is very intense and has lasted a long time, people may refer to them as sworn enemies.
“Well, I guess as we support different football teams we’re supposed to be sworn enemies?”
Two ships passing in the night
Sometimes two people can live together but rarely see each other or spend time together because of their work or social schedules. Such a couple could be described as two ships passing in the night.
“I can’t believe how busy we have both been recently. We’re like two ships passing in the night.”
There are lots of night idioms to describe a wide range of situations.
Be at loggerheads
A healthy discussion is always a good thing, but if you are stuck in a passionate quarrel or disagreement you would be at loggerheads with each other.
“We just can’t agree and have been at loggerheads for hours now.”
Get off on the wrong foot
Body parts make for some great dating idioms, like to get off on the wrong foot. This means that you had a bad start or made a bad first impression with someone. It could be because of something you said, did or wore!
“Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. Can we have a fresh start?”
Whether you’re talking about your foot, shoulder, fingers or thumb; body parts make for great idioms.
Give someone the cold shoulder
Hopefully these idioms about relationships aren’t making you feel too sad, but what may make you sad is someone giving you the cold shoulder. This is when someone ignores you on purpose or treats you in a deliberately unfriendly or unkind way.
“At the party last night, Kerry didn’t even look at me once. Why is she giving me the cold shoulder?”
Silent treatment
On a similar note, you may give someone the silent treatment if you want to show that you are annoyed or upset. It means purposefully not speaking to them for a period of time.
“I can’t believe my boyfriend cancelled our date at the last minute. He’s getting the silent treatment for a few days, for sure!”
“I know Sunita is giving me the silent treatment, but I can’t work out why.”
Under the thumb
This is not a healthy dating idiom as it’s about someone having control, power or influence in a relationship. In fact, you could use this in many different situations. The person under the thumb is the vulnerable one in the weaker position.
“Come on, stay out for one more drink. You’re not under the thumb are you?”
“I have Derek right under my thumb; I know exactly how to get him to do what I want.”
When not talking about a romantic relationship, it could also relate to a person in authority or power.
To escape this type of suffocating relationship you may need to ‘cut loose’ – or discover some more freedom idioms here.
Wrapped around your little finger
Here’s another relationship idiom about control. This time it’s more about manipulating, tricking or persuading someone to do something for you. In a joking way, people may say a daughter has her father wrapped around her little finger as a dad would do anything for his daughter.
“If I want a new car, I’ll get one. I have my daddy wrapped around my little finger.”
“I can see that Tim has Lisa wrapped around his little finger, and I don’t think it’s going to end well.”
There are plenty of situations where you may need to use these idioms about relationships. They don’t just have to be limited to romantic situations, although we hope this list will help you navigate dating more easily. You can continue on this topic by learning some family idioms next.
