Dating is when two people spend time together to see if they like each other. It can be fun, exciting, and sometimes a little confusing. People often use special phrases to talk about dating. These phrases are called idioms. Idioms are words or sayings that don’t mean exactly what they say. They help us talk about feelings and situations in a more interesting way.
In this article, we will learn idioms that people use when they talk about dating. These idioms can show how someone feels about love, a new relationship, or even a breakup. They make our language more colorful and help us understand dating in a fun way. Let’s explore these dating idioms and see how people use them in everyday life.
Idioms About Dating
1. Head over heels
Meaning: Very much in love
Example Sentence:
• Sarah is head over heels for her new boyfriend.
• He fell head over heels for her after their first date.
Other ways to say: Totally in love, crazy about someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of flipping over, like love turning your world upside down.
Usage: Used when someone is deeply in love.
2. Love at first sight
Meaning: Falling in love the first time you see someone
Example Sentence:
• My parents say it was love at first sight when they met.
• He believed in love at first sight when he saw her at the fair.
Other ways to say: Instant love, fell for someone right away
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in literature hundreds of years ago.
Usage: When someone falls in love very quickly.
3. Tie the knot
Meaning: To get married
Example Sentence:
• They tied the knot in a small backyard wedding.
• My cousin is tying the knot this summer.
Other ways to say: Get married, say “I do”
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from an old custom of tying hands together during weddings.
Usage: Used when talking about getting married.
4. Pop the question
Meaning: To ask someone to marry you
Example Sentence:
• He popped the question at the beach.
• She was surprised when he popped the question during dinner.
Other ways to say: Propose, ask for marriage
Fun Fact/Origin: “Pop” means sudden, like the surprise of a proposal.
Usage: When someone asks another person to marry them.
5. Have a crush
Meaning: To like someone in a romantic way
Example Sentence:
• I think Mia has a crush on Jake.
• He had a crush on his camp counselor.
Other ways to say: Like someone, be sweet on someone
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in the 1800s to describe romantic feelings.
Usage: Often used by kids or teens about liking someone.
6. Go steady
Meaning: To date someone seriously
Example Sentence:
• They’ve been going steady since 8th grade.
• She asked if he wanted to go steady.
Other ways to say: Be a couple, be in a relationship
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular term in the 1950s.
Usage: When a couple dates seriously and only each other.
7. Break up
Meaning: To end a relationship
Example Sentence:
• They broke up after the dance.
• I heard Josh and Emma broke up.
Other ways to say: Split, end things
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of separating something into parts.
Usage: When a couple decides not to date anymore.
8. An item
Meaning: A couple who are dating
Example Sentence:
• Are Mia and Alex an item now?
• Everyone knew they were an item after the party.
Other ways to say: A couple, together
Fun Fact/Origin: Became popular in newspapers to describe famous couples.
Usage: Used to describe people who are dating.
9. Go out
Meaning: To go on a date or be in a relationship
Example Sentence:
• Are you going out with anyone?
• They started going out last month.
Other ways to say: Date, see someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Short for “going out together” to do fun things.
Usage: Used for dating or spending time as a couple.
10. Hit it off
Meaning: To like each other right away
Example Sentence:
• They hit it off at the school play.
• He and Lily hit it off from the start.
Other ways to say: Get along well, click
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of a good match “hitting” perfectly.
Usage: When two people get along quickly.
11. Catch someone’s eye
Meaning: To get someone’s attention in a romantic way
Example Sentence:
• She caught his eye at the school dance.
• He caught her eye while walking past the lockers.
Other ways to say: Get noticed, attract someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the way eyes notice something special.
Usage: Used when someone becomes interested in another person.
12. Be an item
Meaning: To be in a relationship
Example Sentence:
• They became an item after the school trip.
• Everyone found out they were an item.
Other ways to say: Be together, be dating
Fun Fact/Origin: Used by media to describe couples.
Usage: Talking about people who are officially a couple.
13. Dump someone
Meaning: To end a relationship suddenly
Example Sentence:
• He dumped her right before prom.
• She dumped him over text.
Other ways to say: Break up with, call it off
Fun Fact/Origin: “Dump” means to drop something, like ending a connection.
Usage: Used when someone ends a relationship.
14. Get cold feet
Meaning: To feel nervous about getting married
Example Sentence:
• He got cold feet the night before the wedding.
• She had cold feet about saying yes.
Other ways to say: Feel unsure, get nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from feeling scared and backing away.
Usage: Used when someone changes their mind before a big step.
15. Match made in heaven
Meaning: A perfect couple
Example Sentence:
• They’re a match made in heaven.
• Everyone says my grandparents are a match made in heaven.
Other ways to say: Perfect couple, meant to be
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that heaven brings people together.
Usage: Talking about couples who get along very well.
16. Ask someone out
Meaning: To invite someone on a date
Example Sentence:
• He asked her out after class.
• She asked him out to the movies.
Other ways to say: Invite on a date, make a move
Fun Fact/Origin: Commonly used phrase in teenage dating.
Usage: When someone invites another person for a date.
17. Blind date
Meaning: A date between people who have never met
Example Sentence:
• Her cousin set her up on a blind date.
• He was nervous about the blind date.
Other ways to say: First-time meeting, surprise date
Fun Fact/Origin: Called “blind” because you don’t know what the person looks like.
Usage: When two people meet for the first time on a date.
18. On the rocks
Meaning: A relationship that’s in trouble
Example Sentence:
• Their relationship is on the rocks.
• They’ve been on the rocks since last month.
Other ways to say: Having problems, not going well
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from boats hitting rocks, meaning danger ahead.
Usage: Used when a couple is having problems.
19. Fall for someone
Meaning: To start liking someone a lot
Example Sentence:
• She fell for him during summer camp.
• He’s falling for his best friend.
Other ways to say: Start liking, develop feelings
Fun Fact/Origin: “Fall” shows how fast and strong feelings can be.
Usage: Used when love or strong liking begins.
20. Go Dutch
Meaning: Each person pays for their own meal on a date
Example Sentence:
• They went Dutch on their first date.
• Let’s go Dutch so it’s fair.
Other ways to say: Split the bill, pay your own way
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase may come from old rivalries between countries.
Usage: Used when both people share the cost of the date.
21. Lovebirds
Meaning: A couple who acts very in love
Example Sentence:
• Those two are such lovebirds.
• The lovebirds couldn’t stop holding hands.
Other ways to say: Sweethearts, cute couple
Fun Fact/Origin: Based on birds that stay close and chirp together.
Usage: Describing couples who show a lot of affection.
22. Wear your heart on your sleeve
Meaning: To show your emotions openly
Example Sentence:
• He wears his heart on his sleeve.
• She shows her feelings easily—wears her heart on her sleeve.
Other ways to say: Be open, show your feelings
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old traditions where knights wore tokens from loved ones.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t hide their emotions.
23. Go your separate ways
Meaning: To end a relationship and move on
Example Sentence:
• After college, they went their separate ways.
• They decided to go their separate ways peacefully.
Other ways to say: Break up, move on
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from people choosing different paths.
Usage: Talking about couples who split up.
24. Be lovey-dovey
Meaning: Acting very affectionate in public
Example Sentence:
• They were all lovey-dovey at the party.
• The couple got lovey-dovey during lunch.
Other ways to say: Show affection, be mushy
Fun Fact/Origin: Doves are symbols of love and peace.
Usage: Used for couples who act very romantic in front of others.
25. Steal someone’s heart
Meaning: To make someone fall in love with you
Example Sentence:
• She stole his heart with her smile.
• He stole my heart during our first dance.
Other ways to say: Win someone over, charm someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Stealing means taking something—here, it’s someone’s love.
Usage: Talking about someone falling in love.
26. Have butterflies
Meaning: To feel nervous and excited
Example Sentence:
• I had butterflies before our first date.
• He gets butterflies whenever he sees her.
Other ways to say: Feel excited, feel jittery
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the fluttery feeling in your stomach.
Usage: Used when someone is nervous around someone they like.
27. Third wheel
Meaning: A person who feels out of place with a couple
Example Sentence:
• I felt like a third wheel on their date.
• Don’t bring me—I’ll just be the third wheel.
Other ways to say: Extra person, tagalong
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that a bike has two wheels—not three.
Usage: Used when someone feels awkward around couples.
28. Heartbreaker
Meaning: Someone who makes others fall in love but doesn’t return the feelings
Example Sentence:
• He’s known as a heartbreaker.
• She broke his heart—what a heartbreaker.
Other ways to say: Love-tease, crush-giver
Fun Fact/Origin: A person who causes heartbreak is called a heartbreaker.
Usage: Describes someone who leaves others sad in love.
29. Get stood up
Meaning: When someone doesn’t show up for a date
Example Sentence:
• She stood up at the restaurant.
• I waited for an hour—guess I was stood up.
Other ways to say: Get left waiting, be ditched
Fun Fact/Origin: “Stood up” means left standing alone.
Usage: Used when a date doesn’t happen because the person never arrives.
30. Be sweet on someone
Meaning: To like someone in a soft or caring way
Example Sentence:
• He’s sweet on his neighbor.
• She’s always been sweet on Jack.
Other ways to say: Have a crush, like someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Sweet is used because it’s connected to kind feelings.
Usage: Describes gentle romantic interest.
31. Go through a rough patch
Meaning: To have problems in a relationship
Example Sentence:
• They’re going through a rough patch.
• Every couple has a rough patch sometimes.
Other ways to say: Have troubles, hit a bump
Fun Fact/Origin: “Patch” means part of a road or time that’s not smooth.
Usage: When couples face hard times.
32. Love is in the air
Meaning: Many people are feeling love around a certain time
Example Sentence:
• Love is in the air during Valentine’s Day.
• At the wedding, love was in the air.
Other ways to say: Everyone is feeling romantic
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that feelings can be “in the air” like a scent.
Usage: Used when there’s a strong romantic feeling around.
33. Walk someone home
Meaning: To walk with someone to their home after a date
Example Sentence:
• He walked her home after the movie.
• She asked him to walk her home after dinner.
Other ways to say: Escort home, see someone off
Fun Fact/Origin: A polite and old-fashioned way to end a date.
Usage: Shows care at the end of a date.
34. Get dumped
Meaning: When someone ends the relationship with you
Example Sentence:
• He got dumped before the big dance.
• She felt sad after getting dumped.
Other ways to say: Be broken up with, get left
Fun Fact/Origin: Dumped means thrown away—emotionally.
Usage: When someone else ends the relationship.
35. Date night
Meaning: A special evening planned by a couple
Example Sentence:
• Friday is their date night.
• We planned a fun date night at the movies.
Other ways to say: Couple’s night, time together
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular term for regular time couples spend together.
Usage: Talking about scheduled romantic time.
36. Fall head over heels
Meaning: To fall deeply and suddenly in love
Example Sentence:
• He fell head over heels after the concert.
• She fell head over heels during summer camp.
Other ways to say: Fall hard, be crazy in love
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to idiom #1, a strong way to say you’re very in love.
Usage: When someone quickly becomes very in love.
37. Have a thing for someone
Meaning: To be interested in someone
Example Sentence:
• I think she has a thing for him.
• He’s had a thing for her since last year.
Other ways to say: Like someone, be into someone
Fun Fact/Origin: “Thing” here means a special interest or feeling.
Usage: Talking about a secret or clear romantic interest.
38. Swipe right
Meaning: To like someone on a dating app
Example Sentence:
• He swiped right on her profile.
• She swiped right and they matched.
Other ways to say: Like someone online, match with someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from dating apps like Tinder.
Usage: When liking someone on a dating app.
Quiz: Idioms About Dating
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Each question has one correct answer. Use what you’ve learned from the idioms to find the best choice.
Question Key
1. What does “head over heels” mean?
A) Falling down while walking
B) Being very much in love
C) Doing a flip in gym class
2. What does it mean to “pop the question”?
A) To ask someone a math problem
B) To propose marriage
C) To ask for help on homework
3. If someone says “they’re going steady,” what does it mean?
A) They walk slowly
B) They have a serious relationship
C) They are sitting quietly
4. What does it mean to “have a crush”?
A) To break something
B) To like someone in a special way
C) To push someone over
5. What is a “blind date”?
A) A date where you wear sunglasses
B) A date with someone you’ve never met
C) A surprise birthday party
6. If someone is a “third wheel,” what does that mean?
A) They are riding a tricycle
B) They are not part of a couple and feel left out
C) They drive a car
7. What does “get stood up” mean?
A) Someone helped you stand
B) Your date didn’t show up
C) You were picked for a game
8. What does “lovebirds” mean?
A) Two birds sitting together
B) A couple that acts very loving
C) A pet store name
9. What does it mean to “fall for someone”?
A) Trip near someone
B) Feel sick
C) Start liking someone a lot
10. What does “on the rocks” mean in dating?
A) Going hiking together
B) Having trouble in the relationship
C) Sitting by a lake
11. If someone “wears their heart on their sleeve,” what does that mean?
A) They carry a heart on their clothes
B) They hide their feelings
C) They show their feelings openly
12. What does “match made in heaven” mean?
A) Two people who argue a lot
B) Two people who are perfect for each other
C) A game show
13. What does “swipe right” mean?
A) Cleaning a window
B) Liking someone on a dating app
C) Saying goodbye
Answer Key
- B) Being very much in love
- B) To propose marriage
- B) They have a serious relationship
- B) To like someone in a special way
- B) A date with someone you’ve never met
- B) They are not part of a couple and feel left out
- B) Your date didn’t show up
- B) A couple that acts very loving
- C) Start liking someone a lot
- B) Having trouble in the relationship
- C) They show their feelings openly
- B) Two people who are perfect for each other
- B) Liking someone on a dating app
Wrapping Up
Dating idioms are fun and help us talk about love and relationships in a simple way. They show feelings without using long words. Whether it’s having a crush or going steady, these phrases are part of everyday talking. Learning them helps us understand others better and makes our own talking more fun.
By using these idioms, you can describe relationships with more color. And the next time someone says they’re “head over heels,” you’ll know just what they mean.
