Idioms are special figurative phrases where the words together create a meaning completely different from what they say individually. People use them in everyday speech to make their descriptions of things they love more colorful, vivid, and fun. In this article, you will learn fifty unique idioms related to favorite things and treasured objects.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean being loved best, treasured above all, and held closest to the heart. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Favorite Things
1. Apple of my eye
Definition: Someone or something that is cherished and valued above all others.
Used in a Sentence: That vintage blue bicycle in the garage is my dad’s absolute apple of my eye. / The proud grandfather treats his newest pet puppy like the apple of my eye.
Similar Expressions: Dearest treasure / Most cherished object
2. Pride and joy
Definition: The person, pet, or possession that brings you the greatest amount of happiness and pride.
Used in a Sentence: His carefully built model airplane collection is his absolute pride and joy. / That shiny red bicycle parked on the porch is her pride and joy.
Similar Expressions: Greatest treasure / Cherished possession
3. Crown jewel
Definition: The most valuable, prized, and favorite part of a collection or project.
Used in a Sentence: The rare comic book is the crown jewel of his entire bedroom collection. / Our school greenhouse is the crown jewel of the science department.
Similar Expressions: Greatest prize / Ultimate favorite
4. Blue-eyed boy
Definition: Someone who is a special favorite and receives extra praise or attention.
Used in a Sentence: He acts like the teacher’s blue-eyed boy whenever it is time to hand out papers. / The star player is the coach’s blue-eyed boy during every practice session.
Similar Expressions: Teacher’s pet / Favorite person
5. Pet project
Definition: A favorite assignment or hobby that you spend extra time and care on.
Used in a Sentence: Building a backyard treehouse has been my dad’s favorite pet project all summer. / Organizing the library photo albums was her special pet project.
Similar Expressions: Favorite task / Cherished endeavor
6. Cup of tea
Definition: Something that is your personal favorite or preference to do or enjoy.
Used in a Sentence: Reading mystery novels in the cozy armchair is my absolute cup of tea. / Playing outdoor sports is fun, but painting is really my cup of tea.
Similar Expressions: Personal favorite / Preferred activity
7. Right up my alley
Definition: Something that matches your favorite interests and skills perfectly.
Used in a Sentence: Visiting the dinosaur museum exhibit was right up my alley because I love paleontology. / Designing posters for the art club is right up my alley.
Similar Expressions: Perfect match / Favorite interest
8. Meat and potatoes
Definition: The most important, favorite, and essential part of something.
Used in a Sentence: Playing catchy melodies is the meat and potatoes of our school band’s concerts. / Solving math puzzles is the meat and potatoes of my favorite hobby.
Similar Expressions: Essential part / Core favorite
9. Bread and butter
Definition: The dependable source of value or favorite activity that supports your daily life.
Used in a Sentence: Drawing cartoons is his bread and butter when it comes to creative hobbies. / Playing the piano is her bread and butter after school every single day.
Similar Expressions: Main support / Favorite livelihood
10. Golden child
Definition: A person who is considered the favorite or most successful member of a group.
Used in a Sentence: In our family spelling competitions, my older sister is always the golden child. / He acts like the golden child of the art club because he wins every ribbon.
Similar Expressions: Top favorite / Star performer
11. White-haired boy
Definition: An old-fashioned term for someone who is a favorite authority figure.
Used in a Sentence: The manager treated him like the white-haired boy because he always finished tasks early. / She became the white-haired girl of the science lab for her clever experiments.
Similar Expressions: Special favorite / Trusted helper
12. Favorite son
Definition: A popular person who is a hometown favorite in their community.
Used in a Sentence: The returning Olympic athlete was welcomed home as the town’s favorite son. / Our mayor is considered a favorite son because he grew up right here.
Similar Expressions: Hometown favorite / Beloved local
13. Fairest of them all
Definition: The absolute favorite, most beautiful, or best item among many choices.
Used in a Sentence: Among all the watercolor paintings in the gallery, this sunset landscape is the fairest of them all. / Of all the science projects, her volcano model was chosen as the fairest of them all.
Similar Expressions: Top choice / Absolute best
14. Sweetheart deal
Definition: A favorite arrangement or special bargain that gives you great benefits.
Used in a Sentence: Buying the used skateboard from my cousin for five dollars was a sweetheart deal. / Getting free tickets to the concert was a wonderful sweetheart deal.
Similar Expressions: Special bargain / Favorite offer
15. Hold dear
Definition: To value, cherish, and keep your favorite memories close to your heart.
Used in a Sentence: I will always hold dear the handwritten letters from my summer camp friends. / Family holiday traditions are things we should hold dear throughout our lives.
Similar Expressions: Value greatly / Cherish fondly
16. Keep close to your heart
Definition: To cherish and treat your favorite belongings or memories with special care.
Used in a Sentence: I keep the special postcard from my grandmother close to my heart. / Those fond memories of summer vacation are kept close to my heart.
Similar Expressions: Treasure privately / Value deeply
17. Close to home
Definition: Something that feels personally important, favorite, and deeply meaningful to you.
Used in a Sentence: Stories about rescue animals always hit close to home for me because I love pets. / Her speech about environmental recycling felt very close to home.
Similar Expressions: Personally meaningful / Dear to you
18. Dear to my heart
Definition: Describing something or someone that is a cherished favorite in your life.
Used in a Sentence: My collection of classic comic books is very dear to my heart. / Helping stray animals find homes is a cause dear to my heart.
Similar Expressions: Deeply cherished / Highly valued
19. Near and dear
Definition: Something that is deeply cherished and represents a favorite part of your world.
Used in a Sentence: Music and art are two subjects near and dear to my heart. / My childhood stuffed bear remains near and dear to me.
Similar Expressions: Deeply loved / Cherished favorite
20. Treasure trove
Definition: A wonderful collection of your favorite items that you love exploring.
Used in a Sentence: Grandma’s attic was an absolute treasure trove of old photo albums and toys. / The library shelf filled with my favorite adventure books was a true treasure trove.
Similar Expressions: Collection of valuables / Abundant store
21. Real gem
Definition: A person, place, or thing that is considered a favorite hidden treasure.
Used in a Sentence: Finding a quiet study nook in the busy library is like discovering a real gem. / Our school librarian is a real gem who helps every student find favorite books.
Similar Expressions: Wonderful find / Valuable treasure
22. Gold standard
Definition: Your absolute favorite example of quality that you judge everything else against.
Used in a Sentence: Her chocolate chip cookie recipe is the gold standard for our family bake sales. / This fantasy book series is the gold standard of adventure writing for me.
Similar Expressions: Ultimate benchmark / Best example
23. Cream of the crop
Definition: The absolute favorite and highest quality choices out of a large group.
Used in a Sentence: The best mystery novels on the library shelf are truly the cream of the crop. / Selecting our favorite artwork from the student exhibition was difficult because everyone chose the cream of the crop.
Similar Expressions: The very best / Top choices
24. Pick of the bunch
Definition: Your single favorite selection from a variety of available options.
Used in a Sentence: Out of all the colorful markers in the box, the bright teal one is my pick of the bunch. / Among the rescue puppies, that energetic little spaniel was the pick of the bunch.
Similar Expressions: Top choice / Favorite selection
25. Apple of the orchard
Definition: A playful way to describe your absolute favorite thing in a category.
Used in a Sentence: Of all the fantasy books I own, this dragon adventure is the apple of the orchard. / That shiny red sports car poster is his bedroom wall’s apple of the orchard.
Similar Expressions: Ultimate favorite / Prime choice
26. Star attraction
Definition: The favorite and most popular feature of an event or place.
Used in a Sentence: The acrobatic dog show was the star attraction at the community festival. / The glowing volcano model was the star attraction at the science fair.
Similar Expressions: Main highlight / Favorite feature
27. Main squeeze
Definition: A playful slang term for your favorite person or closest companion.
Used in a Sentence: My loyal golden retriever is my main squeeze when I watch movies on the couch. / He considers his best friend his main squeeze for building Lego projects.
Similar Expressions: Best companion / Favorite pal
28. First love
Definition: The activity, subject, or hobby that was your very first favorite passion.
Used in a Sentence: Even though he loves computers now, drawing cartoons remains his first love. / Piano music was her first love before she started playing soccer.
Similar Expressions: Early passion / Original favorite
29. Sweet tooth
Definition: A strong personal preference and favorite desire for eating sugary treats.
Used in a Sentence: Having a sweet tooth means I always look forward to grandma’s homemade brownies. / My sister has a huge sweet tooth and loves chocolate ice cream best.
Similar Expressions: Craving for sweets / Favorite treats
30. Faithful hound
Definition: A loyal pet or friend who is your favorite companion on every adventure.
Used in a Sentence: My little terrier acts like my faithful hound as he follows me around the yard. / Whenever I go hiking, my dog is my faithful hound companion.
Similar Expressions: Loyal friend / Trusted buddy
31. Comfort food
Definition: Your absolute favorite meal or snack that makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Used in a Sentence: Warm tomato soup with grilled cheese is my ultimate comfort food on rainy days. / Macaroni and cheese is his favorite comfort food after a long week.
Similar Expressions: Favorite meal / Cozy food
32. Happy place
Definition: Your favorite imaginary or real location where you feel completely peaceful and happy.
Used in a Sentence: Sitting under the shade of the big oak tree with a book is my happy place. / When I feel stressed, I imagine my happy place by the ocean waves.
Similar Expressions: Peaceful spot / Favorite retreat
33. Favorite haunt
Definition: The place where you love spending your free time most often.
Used in a Sentence: The corner booth at the local library is my favorite haunt for reading. / The skatepark behind the school is the teenagers’ favorite haunt after class.
Similar Expressions: Preferred hangout / Regular spot
34. Beloved pastime
Definition: Your favorite hobby or leisure activity that you enjoy doing for fun.
Used in a Sentence: Flying kites in the spring breeze is my grandfather’s beloved pastime. / Painting watercolor landscapes is her beloved pastime on weekends.
Similar Expressions: Favorite hobby / Preferred leisure
35. Heart’s desire
Definition: The thing you want most of all as your ultimate favorite wish.
Used in a Sentence: Winning the science fair trophy was truly his heart’s desire. / Getting a new bicycle for my birthday was my greatest heart’s desire.
Similar Expressions: Ultimate wish / Greatest want
36. Fancy free
Definition: Enjoying your favorite lifestyle without any worries or heavy responsibilities.
Used in a Sentence: Spending summer vacation riding bikes made us feel footloose and fancy free. / He loved his fancy free weekends camping by the lake.
Similar Expressions: Carefree / Enjoying freedom
37. Soft spot
Definition: A gentle, favorite feeling of special affection for someone or something.
Used in a Sentence: I have a soft spot for stray kittens and always want to pet them. / She has a soft spot for classic board games from her childhood.
Similar Expressions: Special fondness / Gentle liking
38. Fall in love with
Definition: To develop a strong, enthusiastic favorite passion for something new.
Used in a Sentence: I went to one guitar lesson and immediately fell in love with playing music. / She read her first mystery novel and fell in love with detective stories.
Similar Expressions: Become fond of / Grow to love
39. Devoted fan
Definition: Someone who loves a particular book, sport, or hobby with great enthusiasm.
Used in a Sentence: He is a devoted fan of science fiction movies and watches them every Friday. / She is a devoted fan of our school soccer team.
Similar Expressions: Enthusiastic follower / Dedicated supporter
40. True blue
Definition: Describing a favorite, loyal friend or object that never lets you down.
Used in a Sentence: My favorite leather jacket is true blue and has lasted me five years. / You can always count on my true blue best friend to help me study.
Similar Expressions: Loyal and true / Dependable favorite
41. Apple of the teacher’s eye
Definition: A student who is the teacher’s favorite helper in the classroom.
Used in a Sentence: Because he always erased the board, he was the apple of the teacher’s eye. / She brought flowers to class and became the apple of the teacher’s eye.
Similar Expressions: Teacher’s favorite / Special student
42. Golden oldie
Definition: A favorite older song, movie, or item that remains popular over time.
Used in a Sentence: My dad played a golden oldie rock song on the radio during our car ride. / That vintage comedy movie is an absolute golden oldie in our family.
Similar Expressions: Classic favorite / Timeless piece
43. Old flame
Definition: A favorite former hobby, interest, or past friend you reconnect with fondly.
Used in a Sentence: After years of painting, he returned to his old flame of building model ships. / She picked up her old flame of playing the flute for the school band.
Similar Expressions: Former passion / Past favorite
44. Specialty of the house
Definition: A favorite dish or special skill that a person or place is famous for making.
Used in a Sentence: Grandma’s lemon meringue pie is the specialty of the house at every family gathering. / Doing funny voice impressions is my specialty of the house during talent shows.
Similar Expressions: Signature dish / Special talent
45. Right hand man
Definition: Your absolute favorite and most trusted assistant or helper.
Used in a Sentence: My older brother is my right hand man when we build complex Lego towers. / The club president relied on her treasurer as her right hand man.
Similar Expressions: Trusted helper / Chief assistant
46. Bright spot
Definition: Your favorite, most cheerful part of an otherwise difficult or boring day.
Used in a Sentence: Recess time was the bright spot of my long school day. / Finding a sweet note in my lunchbox was the bright spot of the morning.
Similar Expressions: Cheerful part / Favorite moment
47. Sugar and spice
Definition: A playful phrase describing your favorite sweet treats or kind personalities.
Used in a Sentence: My favorite bakery treats are made of sugar and spice and taste amazing. / Baking cookies filled with sugar and spice is our favorite weekend hobby.
Similar Expressions: Sweet treats / Delightful things
48. Prize possession
Definition: The item you value and love more than any other thing you own.
Used in a Sentence: My signed baseball from the stadium tour is my absolute prize possession. / Her antique music box is her most cherished prize possession.
Similar Expressions: Most valued item / Favorite belonging
49. Center of attention
Definition: The favorite person or object that everyone is looking at and admiring.
Used in a Sentence: The adorable rescue puppy became the center of attention at the park. / Her shiny new scooter was the center of attention on the driveway.
Similar Expressions: Main focus / Favorite highlight
50. Pearly gates
Definition: A humorous favorite expression for entering a place of ultimate happiness.
Used in a Sentence: Walking into the giant toy store felt like arriving at the pearly gates. / Opening the box of fresh chocolate chip cookies felt like reaching the pearly gates.
Similar Expressions: Ultimate paradise / Ultimate favorite place
Exercise to Practice
- That vintage blue bicycle in the garage is my dad’s absolute apple of my eye.
- Building a backyard treehouse has been my dad’s favorite pet project all summer.
- Among all the watercolor paintings in the gallery, this sunset landscape is the fairest of them all.
- My collection of classic comic books is very cold and boring to my heart.
- Finding a quiet study nook in the busy library is like discovering a real gem.
- My sister has a huge sweet tooth and loves chocolate ice cream best.
- Warm tomato soup with grilled cheese is my ultimate comfort food on rainy days.
- Sitting under the shade of the big oak tree with a book is my noisy nightmare.
- Grandma’s lemon meringue pie is the specialty of the house at every family gathering.
- Recess time was the bright spot of my long school day.
- My signed baseball from the stadium tour is my absolute prize possession.
- Walking into the giant toy store felt like arriving at the pearly gates.
- Playing outdoor sports is fun, but painting is really my cup of tea.
- Of all the fantasy books I own, this dragon adventure is a broken old shoe.
- My older brother is my right hand man when we build complex Lego towers.
Answer Key
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning these idioms helps you express your favorite things and treasured possessions in fun, colorful ways. Try using a few of these expressions when talking about your hobbies, favorite foods, or cherished memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for favorite things?
Common idioms for favorite things include phrases like apple of my eye, cup of tea, and prize possession. These expressions help describe objects, foods, and activities that people love best.
Why do we use idioms to talk about things we love?
Idioms give us vivid and memorable ways to express deep affection and strong preferences that standard vocabulary sometimes makes too formal. They make stories and conversations about favorite things much more engaging.
How can I practice using favorite things idioms?
You can practice by using these phrases when writing stories about characters sharing their hobbies, favorite foods, or prized possessions. Matching them to everyday joyful scenarios is also a wonderful learning method.
Are favorite things idioms always positive?
Yes, idioms about favorite things focus entirely on affection, prized possessions, and positive preferences. They are wonderful tools for making writing more cheerful and uplifting.
Can idioms help me write better stories?
Using these descriptive phrases in your stories helps readers understand what characters value most. It adds warmth, color, and emotional depth to your creative writing.
