In English, we often use special phrases called “idioms” to express ideas colorfully. Idioms for appearance are phrases we use to describe how someone or something looks. Let’s explore some of these idioms with easy explanations and examples.
Idioms Related to Appearance
Here are 20 idioms related to appearance, along with their meanings and examples of how they might be used in sentences:
Fit as a fiddle – In excellent physical condition.
- After months of training, she’s as fit as a fiddle.
Dressed to kill – Wearing clothes that attract admirers.
- He was dressed to kill at the gala, turning heads as he walked by.
As plain as the nose on your face – Very obvious.
- The answer to the problem was as plain as the nose on your face.
A sight for sore eyes – A welcome and pleasant sight.
- After a long day of work, coming home to my family is a sight for sore eyes.
All dolled up – Dressed up elaborately or glamorously.
- She got all dolled up for her birthday party.
Not a hair out of place – Perfectly neat or tidy.
- Even after the long journey, she arrived with not a hair out of place.
Face like thunder – Looking very angry.
- When he heard the bad news, he had a face like thunder.
Mutton dressed as lamb – An older person trying to look younger by dressing inappropriately for their age.
- She’s 55 but dresses like she’s 20, a real case of mutton dressed as lamb.
Turn heads – To attract a lot of attention or admiration because of one’s appearance.
- Her stunning dress at the premiere made her turn heads.
Wet behind the ears – Inexperienced or naive.
- He’s new to the job and still a bit wet behind the ears.
Under someone’s skin – To irritate or bother someone intensely.
- His arrogant attitude really gets under my skin.
Cut a fine figure – To look good or impressive.
- In his new suit, he cut a fine figure.
Eyes are bigger than one’s stomach – To take more food than one can eat.
- He piled his plate high, but his eyes were bigger than his stomach.
Skin and bones – Very thin, usually in a way that suggests poor health.
- After his illness, he was all skin and bones.
Dressed to the nines – Wearing very fashionable or elaborate clothes.
- For the wedding, everyone was dressed to the nines.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – The perception of beauty is subjective.
- I might not like the painting, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Look like a million dollars – To look extremely attractive or very elegant.
- She looked like a million dollars in her new dress.
Spitting image – To look exactly alike, often used for family resemblances.
- He’s the spitting image of his father at that age.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing – Someone who pretends to be friendly or harmless but is actually hostile or harmful.
- He seemed nice at first, but he turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve – To openly display one’s emotions or feelings.
- She always wears her heart on her sleeve, so you know how she’s feeling.
These idioms can be used to describe various aspects of appearance, from physical attractiveness to the way someone presents themselves.
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