Relationships are one of the most important parts of our lives, and whether it’s friendship, family, or love, they come with all kinds of emotions and situations that can be hard to describe in plain words. That’s where idioms come in—they add color and personality to how we talk about our connections with others. These little phrases might not mean exactly what they say, but they can help us express what we really feel in a much more powerful and meaningful way.
In this post, we’ll explore 55 idioms that people use to talk about relationships—everything from falling in love to dealing with arguments and making up afterward. You’ll learn what each idiom means, how it can be used in real life, and other ways to say it so you can grow your vocabulary and communicate in more interesting ways. Let’s dive in and start exploring the language of relationships!
Idioms for Relationships
1. Hit it off
Meaning: To get along very well with someone, especially right after meeting them.
In a Sentence: From the moment we started talking at that event, we hit it off so easily that it felt like we had been friends for years even though it was our very first conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Instantly connect, Get along great
2. Tie the knot
Meaning: To get married and begin a life together.
In a Sentence: After traveling the world hand in hand and sharing unforgettable experiences, they finally decided to tie the knot with a small but beautiful ceremony by the ocean.
Other Ways to Say: Get married, Walk down the aisle
3. On the rocks
Meaning: Experiencing serious problems in a relationship that might lead to a breakup.
In a Sentence: Their relationship has been on the rocks ever since trust issues started creeping in, and now every little disagreement turns into a huge argument.
Other Ways to Say: Going through problems, In trouble
4. Have a falling out
Meaning: To have a serious argument or disagreement that damages the relationship.
In a Sentence: We were once best friends who did everything together, but after a huge misunderstanding about money, we had a falling out that left us not speaking for months.
Other Ways to Say: Disagree seriously, Drift apart
5. Patch things up
Meaning: To try to fix and improve a relationship after a disagreement or conflict.
In a Sentence: After realizing how much they missed each other, they met at their favorite coffee shop and talked things through in an effort to patch things up and rebuild what they had.
Other Ways to Say: Make amends, Rebuild trust
6. Go through a rough patch
Meaning: To face difficult or unhappy times in a relationship.
In a Sentence: Every couple goes through a rough patch now and then, but the ones who come out stronger are the ones who learn how to listen, forgive, and grow together through the hard times.
Other Ways to Say: Face challenges, Hit a bump in the road
7. Head over heels
Meaning: Completely and deeply in love with someone.
In a Sentence: From the way he talks about her and smiles at his phone, you can tell he’s head over heels in love, completely lost in everything about her.
Other Ways to Say: Totally in love, Madly in love
8. Pop the question
Meaning: To ask someone to marry you.
In a Sentence: He spent weeks planning the perfect moment, and finally popped the question on a mountaintop during sunrise, with a ring she had once admired in a store window.
Other Ways to Say: Propose marriage, Ask for their hand
9. Love at first sight
Meaning: Falling in love instantly upon seeing someone for the first time.
In a Sentence: They locked eyes in the grocery store, and in that strange, magical moment, they both felt something so strong that they now describe it as love at first sight.
Other Ways to Say: Instant connection, Immediate spark
10. Break someone’s heart
Meaning: To cause someone great emotional pain by ending a relationship or through betrayal.
In a Sentence: When she told him it was over after all they had been through, it completely broke his heart and left him feeling like the world had stopped turning.
Other Ways to Say: Hurt deeply, Cause emotional pain
11. Mend a broken heart
Meaning: To heal emotionally after someone has deeply hurt you.
In a Sentence: She spent long, quiet evenings listening to music and journaling her feelings as she slowly tried to mend a broken heart and find herself again.
Other Ways to Say: Heal emotionally, Move on
12. Be an item
Meaning: To be in a romantic relationship, especially one that others know about.
In a Sentence: After being seen together at every school event and sharing cute messages online, it became pretty obvious that they were officially an item.
Other Ways to Say: Dating, Together
13. Fall out of love
Meaning: To gradually lose romantic feelings for someone.
In a Sentence: Over time, they stopped sharing laughs and late-night talks, and it became clear that they had slowly fallen out of love without even realizing when it started.
Other Ways to Say: Lose feelings, Stop loving
14. Sweep someone off their feet
Meaning: To impress someone deeply and make them fall in love.
In a Sentence: With his heartfelt poems, surprise dates, and genuine kindness, he completely swept her off her feet and made her believe in love again.
Other Ways to Say: Charm completely, Win their heart
15. Get along like a house on fire
Meaning: To form a close bond very quickly and naturally.
In a Sentence: They met at summer camp and got along like a house on fire, laughing at the same jokes and finishing each other’s sentences as if they had known each other forever.
Other Ways to Say: Click instantly, Be inseparable
16. Wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: To openly display your feelings or emotions.
In a Sentence: He wears his heart on his sleeve so often that you can always tell exactly how he’s feeling, whether he’s overjoyed or heartbroken.
Other Ways to Say: Be expressive, Show feelings clearly
17. Be in someone’s good books
Meaning: To be liked or favored by someone.
In a Sentence: After helping her clean up after the event and staying late to organize everything, he was definitely in her good books again.
Other Ways to Say: Be appreciated, Be liked
18. Give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: To ignore or act unfriendly toward someone.
In a Sentence: Even after I apologized, she gave me the cold shoulder for a whole week, barely saying more than two words to me at school.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore someone, Be distant
19. Have someone’s back
Meaning: To offer support or stand by someone in difficult times.
In a Sentence: No matter what life throws at us, I’ll always have your back, even if the whole world walks away from you.
Other Ways to Say: Support fully, Stand up for
20. Put up with someone
Meaning: To tolerate or endure someone’s behavior, especially when it’s annoying.
In a Sentence: She puts up with his messy habits and bad jokes because she loves him for who he is, not just for how he acts.
Other Ways to Say: Tolerate, Endure
21. Through thick and thin
Meaning: To stay together and support each other in both good times and bad.
In a Sentence: We’ve been through thick and thin—from our worst fights to our happiest memories—and we’re still standing strong, side by side.
Other Ways to Say: No matter what, Always there
22. Hit a rough patch
Meaning: To experience a difficult period in a relationship.
In a Sentence: Their relationship hit a rough patch when they both started new jobs and didn’t have much time for each other anymore.
Other Ways to Say: Face problems, Go through a hard time
23. Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation or make people feel comfortable.
In a Sentence: At the wedding reception, I cracked a silly joke to break the ice and help everyone at the table feel more relaxed and chatty.
Other Ways to Say: Start talking, Ease tension
24. Leave someone high and dry
Meaning: To abandon someone when they need help.
In a Sentence: When I got into trouble at school, he completely left me high and dry instead of speaking up to explain what really happened.
Other Ways to Say: Let down, Walk away
25. Call it quits
Meaning: To end a relationship or stop something permanently.
In a Sentence: After trying for months to fix things, they both agreed to call it quits and go their separate ways with no hard feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Break up, End it
26. Get cold feet
Meaning: To feel nervous or hesitant about a big decision, often in relationships.
In a Sentence: He got cold feet right before the wedding and started questioning whether he was truly ready to commit for life.
Other Ways to Say: Lose confidence, Have second thoughts
27. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: To be very careful about what you say or do around someone, usually to avoid conflict.
In a Sentence: Ever since their big fight, she’s been walking on eggshells around him, scared to say anything that might upset him again.
Other Ways to Say: Be cautious, Avoid upsetting
28. Be joined at the hip
Meaning: To be inseparable or very close, usually in a positive way.
In a Sentence: My sister and her best friend are joined at the hip—they do everything together and are practically glued to each other’s side.
Other Ways to Say: Always together, Inseparable
29. Go your separate ways
Meaning: To end a relationship or part ways with someone.
In a Sentence: After years of growing in different directions, they peacefully decided to go their separate ways and focus on their individual journeys.
Other Ways to Say: Split up, End things
30. Carry a torch for someone
Meaning: To still have romantic feelings for someone, usually after a breakup.
In a Sentence: Even though she’s moved on, I think he’s still carrying a torch for her and hoping they’ll get back together someday.
Other Ways to Say: Still in love, Have lingering feelings
31. Be head over heels
Meaning: To be completely and deeply in love.
In a Sentence: He’s so head over heels in love that he changed his entire schedule just to match hers and spend more time together.
Other Ways to Say: Madly in love, Deeply smitten
32. Be lovey-dovey
Meaning: To show a lot of affection in a romantic relationship.
In a Sentence: They’re so lovey-dovey all the time, always holding hands, giggling, and giving each other sweet little notes.
Other Ways to Say: Very affectionate, Cuddly
33. Stormy relationship
Meaning: A relationship with frequent arguments or ups and downs.
In a Sentence: Their stormy relationship is full of drama and passion—they love hard, fight hard, and make up even harder.
Other Ways to Say: Unstable, Tumultuous
34. Be out of someone’s league
Meaning: To feel that someone is too attractive or impressive to be interested in you.
In a Sentence: He always admired her from afar, believing she was out of his league and would never be interested in someone like him.
Other Ways to Say: Too good for, Beyond reach
35. Cry on someone’s shoulder
Meaning: To go to someone for emotional support and comfort during a tough time.
In a Sentence: After the breakup, I just needed someone to cry on and she was there, offering me tissues, snacks, and a shoulder to lean on.
Other Ways to Say: Seek comfort, Be consoled
36. Be in hot water
Meaning: To be in trouble or facing consequences, often in a relationship.
In a Sentence: He forgot their anniversary and now he’s in hot water, trying to make it up with flowers and apologies.
Other Ways to Say: In trouble, Face backlash
37. Be an open book
Meaning: To be very honest and transparent about your feelings.
In a Sentence: In relationships, she’s an open book—you’ll always know what’s on her mind and how she’s truly feeling.
Other Ways to Say: Honest, Transparent
38. Be on the same page
Meaning: To have the same understanding or agreement with someone.
In a Sentence: Before making any big decisions, it’s important that both partners are on the same page to avoid future conflicts.
Other Ways to Say: In agreement, Aligned
39. Give someone space
Meaning: To allow someone time alone or personal freedom, especially during a rough patch.
In a Sentence: After the fight, she asked him to give her space so she could think clearly and figure out how she really felt.
Other Ways to Say: Let someone be, Allow time alone
40. Be a match made in heaven
Meaning: To be a perfect pair, highly compatible in a relationship.
In a Sentence: They share the same values, laugh at the same jokes, and even love the same pizza topping—they’re truly a match made in heaven.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect couple, Ideal pair
41. Be lovebirds
Meaning: A couple that is visibly affectionate and happy together.
In a Sentence: You can always spot the lovebirds on campus—they’re the ones giggling over coffee and finishing each other’s sentences.
Other Ways to Say: Romantic couple, Sweethearts
42. Go Dutch
Meaning: To split the cost of something equally, often a date.
In a Sentence: They believe in equality, so they always go Dutch on their dates, taking turns to pay or splitting everything right down the middle.
Other Ways to Say: Share the cost, Split the bill
43. Kiss and make up
Meaning: To forgive each other after a disagreement.
In a Sentence: They argued fiercely, but the next morning they kissed and made up over pancakes and sincere apologies.
Other Ways to Say: Reconcile, Make peace
44. Be puppy love
Meaning: A youthful, innocent crush or early-stage romantic feelings.
In a Sentence: Their relationship might seem serious, but most of their friends think it’s just puppy love that will fade as they grow older.
Other Ways to Say: Teenage crush, Infatuation
45. Be heart-to-heart
Meaning: A deeply emotional and honest conversation.
In a Sentence: We had a long heart-to-heart where we finally said everything we’d been holding in, and it felt like a huge weight lifted.
Other Ways to Say: Deep talk, Honest conversation
46. Play hard to get
Meaning: To act distant or uninterested to increase someone’s attraction.
In a Sentence: She’s definitely into him, but she’s been playing hard to get just to see how serious he really is.
Other Ways to Say: Act distant, Be reserved
47. Take someone for granted
Meaning: To not appreciate someone or their efforts.
In a Sentence: He didn’t realize he was taking her for granted until she stopped doing all the little things she used to do.
Other Ways to Say: Undervalue, Not appreciate
48. Be a third wheel
Meaning: To feel like an unnecessary or awkward addition to a couple.
In a Sentence: I didn’t realize it was a date night, and I felt like such a third wheel the whole evening.
Other Ways to Say: Unwanted guest, Extra person
49. Be under someone’s spell
Meaning: To be completely captivated or charmed by someone.
In a Sentence: He’s totally under her spell—he can’t stop talking about her and does everything she suggests without hesitation.
Other Ways to Say: Mesmerized, Enchanted
50. Break up
Meaning: To end a romantic relationship.
In a Sentence: After weeks of constant arguments and distance, they decided to break up and give themselves time to grow individually.
Other Ways to Say: End things, Go separate ways
51. Love-hate relationship
Meaning: A relationship full of both affection and conflict.
In a Sentence: They argue like cats and dogs but still hang out every weekend—it’s definitely a love-hate relationship.
Other Ways to Say: Mixed emotions, Conflicted feelings
52. Be one’s better half
Meaning: A romantic partner, usually someone seen as bringing out the best in you.
In a Sentence: He often says his wife is his better half because she keeps him grounded and helps him see the good in every situation.
Other Ways to Say: Life partner, Soulmate
53. Settle down
Meaning: To start a stable life with a long-term partner.
In a Sentence: After years of traveling and dating around, he finally wanted to settle down and start building a life with someone special.
Other Ways to Say: Commit, Start a family
54. Sparks fly
Meaning: A strong emotional or physical attraction, or intense arguments.
In a Sentence: When they first met, sparks flew instantly, and everyone could see the chemistry between them was electric.
Other Ways to Say: Immediate connection, Passion
55. Tie someone down
Meaning: To commit to a serious relationship, sometimes seen as limiting.
In a Sentence: He loved her deeply but wasn’t ready to be tied down yet, wanting more time to figure himself out first.
Other Ways to Say: Commit, Be in a serious relationship
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- She’s been walking on __________ ever since their fight last week.
- After the surprise proposal, he finally __________ the question.
- They used to be inseparable, but now they’ve decided to go their separate __________.
- I think he still carries a __________ for his ex, even after all these years.
- Don’t worry—no matter what, I’ll always have your __________.
- They’re always together and share everything—they’re truly a match made in __________.
- When I saw them holding hands, I knew they were officially an __________.
- They kissed and made __________ after that heated argument.
- You could tell by her glowing face that she was head over __________ in love.
- During dinner, I felt like a third __________ since they only talked to each other.
- She wears her __________ on her sleeve and never hides how she feels.
- After years of long-distance, they finally decided to settle __________ and buy a house together.
Answers:
eggshells, popped, ways, torch, back, heaven, item, up, heels, wheel, heart, down
Conclusion
Idioms help us describe relationships in ways that feel more real, emotional, and honest—sometimes even when words fail us. Whether you’re talking about heartbreak, new love, friendship, or long-term commitment, these idioms give your stories depth and personality.
Try using them in your own conversations, writing, or even journaling to express your feelings more clearly. The more you use them, the more natural they’ll feel. Relationships are full of ups and downs, but with the right words, we can all learn to understand and share those experiences better.