Do you want to speak English like native speakers do? Learning common English idioms is a great way to do that. Native speakers (like me) use idioms a lot in conversation. This post has some common idioms that use the idea of LOVE.
You will find a collection of common idioms with their meaning in this post. Plus, lots of natural example sentences so you can use these expressions in your own conversations. There is a Free PDF download of these expressions with examples at the bottom of this post.
Ways to use LOVE
The word love can be both a noun and a verb.
Here are three different ways we can use the noun LOVE
① a very strong feeling of liking and caring for somebody/something, especially a member of your family or a friend
“Nothing is stronger than a mother’s love.”
② a strong feeling of romantic attraction for somebody
“Never give up hope and someday you will find true love.”
③ the strong feeling of pleasure that something gives you
“Katherine and I have a shared love of music.”
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries LOVE noun
Here are different 3 ways we can use the verb LOVE
① to have very strong feelings of liking and caring for somebody
“I love you.”
② to like or enjoy something very much
“I love your new watch, where did you buy it?”
③ used to say that you would very much like something
A: “Would you care for something to drink?”
B: “I would love a coffee if you have some.”
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries LOVE verb
Idioms about expressions with LOVE are very common in music, movies, and television. These LOVE idioms are often used as the titles of popular songs, movies, and even the titles of episodes of popular TV shows.
I have linked to many of these songs and shows throughout this post. I’m curious to know which movies or TV shows you have seen before. Do you have a favorite LOVE song? Tell me in the comments.
12 Common English LOVE Idioms
Fall In Love
You probably know the expression “fall in love.” We use the verb fall when we begin to love another person.
- “From the moment she kissed me I fell in love with her.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
10 photos that’ll make you fall in love with India!
To make this expression even stronger we can fall HEAD OVER HEELS in love with someone. This means the love we feel is very strong. The love is so strong that we flip, our head goes over our heels.
- “It was only our third date but I could feel myself falling head over heels for her.”
We can also BE head over heels in love with someone.
- “Russell IS head over heels in love with Tessa. He never stops talking about how great she is.”
Here are 3 songs titled Head Over Heels – which one is your favorite? Tell me in the comments!
Tears For Fears – Head Over Heels
ABBA – Head Over Heels
The Go Go’s – Head Over Heels
We can also fall in love AT FIRST SIGHT.
This means that as soon as you see someone you feel like you already know them and you love them instantly.
“I saw Jennifer across the dancefloor wearing a yellow dress and it was love at first sight.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
Does ‘love at first sight’ exist? I asked 14 Fashion Journal readers
You can also love someone/something with all your heart. This shows how strong your love is.
- I would do anything for Hailey. I love her with all my heart.
Make Love (to somebody)
This expression means to have sex
- On their wedding night, they made love and then fell asleep in each other’s arms.
The Love of My Life
The person that you love the most. This person is #1 for you.
“I’d like to introduce my fiancé, Melanie. She is the love of my life.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
‘I Met the Love of My Life at 68’
Love is Blind
This expression means that when you really love someone you are blind to their flaws or imperfections. We only see what we want to see.
“I think that Amanda could find a better guy to marry than Trevor but I guess love is blind.”
Love is Blind is a reality TV show about “Singles who want to be loved for who they are, rather than what they look like.”
Do you know this show? Have you ever watched it? Do you like reality TV shows?
Love Is Blind (TV Series 2020– ) – IMDb
A Face Only a Mother Could Love
This is meant as an insult. A child is always beautiful to its mother, but this expression means that no one else could possibly find you attractive. Only your mother loves your face because she has to.
“Freddy Krueger has a face that only a mother could love. I think it is hard for her too!”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
A Face Only a Mother Could Love: Maine Fishermen Catch ‘Vicious’ Wolffish
All’s Fair in Love and War
When it comes to love there are no rules. Anything is possible, just as in war.
A: “I want to ask Brenda on a date but I heard that she like Ethan.”
B: “Why don’t you start a nasty rumor about Ethan and then pass it around the office?”
A: “Really!? That’s a dirty trick.”
B: “All’s fair in love and war my friend.”
The link is a list of 82 episodes from various TV series titled “All’s fair in love and war.” TV shows like Pearl Next Door, It Happened in Calcutta, Twentysomething, and many more.
Have you ever watched any of these TV shows?
Love Makes the World Go Round
Love is a powerful and important force that motivates almost everything we do.
“I’m not going to start any rumors about Ethan, I don’t want to fight dirty. We need less negativity in the world and more love. Love makes the world go round.”
Here are 3 songs titled Love makes the world go round – which one is your favorite? Tell me in the comments!
Madonna – Love Makes The World Go Around (1985?)
Deon Jackson – Love Makes The World Go Around (1965)
Love Make The World Go Round – Jennifer Lopez & Lin-Manuel Miranda Lyrics (2016)
*Check my list of fun PIG Idioms here >> 10 Idioms with PIG (Learn FAST with pictures and examples)
Love-hate Relationship
This expression is used to describe a person or a situation that you like and dislike at the same time. There is a good part and a bad part of the same item.
- “The city has a love-hate relationship with tourists now. It’s great that they come and spend money in the city but they are often loud and leave lots of trash in the street.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
Samsung pardon exposes Koreans’ love-hate feelings for tycoons
There’s no love lost between A and B
Person A and person B do not like each other
- There’s no love lost between Ralph and John. Those two have been rivals since college.
Make Love, not War
“Make love, not war” is an anti-war slogan commonly associated with the American counterculture of the 1960s. It was used primarily by those who were opposed to the Vietnam War but has been invoked in other anti-war contexts since, around the world.
Make love, not war – Wikipedia.
Here is the John Lennon song “Make Love, Not War” (1973?)
Puppy Love
This is often used to describe the affection that young people feel for one another but is not serious. It is a feeling that will pass.
- “They met at school but it’s only puppy love. I don’t think it’s very serious.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
Metaphorical puppy love not like the real thing
Love Will Find a Way
True love cannot be stopped. If something comes between a couple who really love each other they will find a way to be together no matter what.
A: “Julian will move away to college in September and be apart from his girlfriend Tammy.”
B: “It will be tough for them but they are really in love with each other. I’m sure love will find a way. It always does.”
The video below is a popular song called “love will find a way” from the band YES released in 1987.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Being away from someone you love (being absent) will make your feelings for them even stronger (grow fonder).
- “I think that Julian and Tammy will have an even stronger connection when Julian comes home. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
NEWS headlines with LOVE
New study proves absence really does make the heart grow fonder – Big Think
Expressions of Attraction and Desire
smitten (with/by somebody/something) (especially humorous) suddenly feeling that you are in love with somebody
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – smitten
- Eric has been following Stacy around all day. He’s quite smitten with her.
Take my breath away
If someone takes your breath away it means you feel so great when you see them that it is hard to breathe. The person is really special.
- Olivia took my breath away the first moment I saw her.
To have a crush on someone
To like someone, to think they are attractive and nice.
- Melanie asked me if you had a girlfriend. I think she has a crush on you. You should ask her out.
Have the hots for someone
You think someone is very attractive, to be very attracted to someone.
- I’ve had the hots for Julianne since the first day of high school.
Marriage idioms and expressions
Idioms that mean asking someone to marry you.
Pop the question
- During our vacation to the beach, I decided to pop the question.
Get down on one knee
- I held her hand, got down on one knee, and gave her the ring. She started crying tears of joy and said YES!
Idioms that mean getting married
Tie the knot
- Nicholas and Judith tied the knot last April.
Settle down (with someone)
- Bruce turned 32 last week, I think it’s time for him to settle down and get married before it’s too late.
The final video is my favorite song about love. It’s a house track from 1989 (I used to be a DJ) called “That’s the Way Love Is” by a Chicago dance group called Ten City.
Do you have a favorite love song? Tell us in the comments.
Printable LOVE Idioms PDF
Download your printable PDF E-guide below. (It’s FREE!)↓
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- Dragon Idioms – 8 Common uses (Real example sentences)
- 22 Dead/Zombie Idioms (Examples, free PDF, Real Photos!)
- 10 Idioms with PIG (Learn FAST with pictures and examples)
- 16 Common Monkey Idioms (REAL Examples and Video)
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