50 Idioms for Favorite Things (Meanings & Examples)

Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the words inside them. People use them to make their speaking and writing more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn fifty special idioms related to cherishing special objects, treasured hobbies, and favorite things.

In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean holding a special place in someone’s heart and treating items as your absolute favorite. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.

Idioms for Favorite Things

1. The bee’s knees

Definition: An item or thing that is regarded as the absolute best or your personal favorite.

Used in a Sentence: Grandma thought her old-fashioned sewing machine was the bee’s knees. / My older brother thinks his new skateboard is the bee’s knees.

Similar Expressions: The absolute best / Top favorite

2. Apple of my eye

Definition: An object or possession that is extremely precious, cherished, and loved above all others.

Used in a Sentence: That vintage acoustic guitar is the apple of his eye and he polishes it every weekend. / Her grandmother’s antique pocket watch was the apple of her eye.

Similar Expressions: Most cherished / Highly treasured

3. Crown jewel

Definition: The most valuable, prized, or favorite possession in a collection or group.

Used in a Sentence: That rare first-edition comic book is the crown jewel of his bookshelf collection. / The grand piano in the music room is considered the crown jewel of our school.

Similar Expressions: Greatest prize / Ultimate favorite

4. Pride and joy

Definition: The favorite possession or achievement that brings you the greatest amount of happiness.

Used in a Sentence: Maintaining his vegetable garden was grandfather’s absolute pride and joy. / Her hand-painted ceramic vase was her special pride and joy at the art show.

Similar Expressions: Prized possession / Cherished item

5. The cat’s meow

Definition: A slang phrase for an item considered exceptionally wonderful or your favorite thing.

Used in a Sentence: He thought his new remote-controlled drone was the cat’s meow. / Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies were considered the cat’s meow by all the neighborhood kids.

Similar Expressions: Exceptional favorite / The best

6. Blue ribbon

Definition: The highest quality or top-ranked favorite item in a competition or collection.

Used in a Sentence: Her science experiment won the blue ribbon at the state exhibition. / That secret recipe deserves a blue ribbon for being the favorite dessert at the party.

Similar Expressions: First prize / Top pick

7. The pick of the bunch

Definition: The very best or favorite item chosen out of a large group.

Used in a Sentence: Among all the books on the library shelf, this mystery novel was the pick of the bunch. / Choosing the brightest colored marker made it the pick of the bunch for my drawing.

Similar Expressions: Top choice / Best selection

8. Worth its weight in gold

Definition: To be extremely useful, valuable, or precious to you.

Used in a Sentence: My favorite dictionary during the spelling test was worth its weight in gold. / A good umbrella during a sudden rainstorm is worth its weight in gold.

Similar Expressions: Extremely valuable / Highly precious

9. A labor of love

Definition: An activity, hobby, or project that you enjoy doing purely because you love it.

Used in a Sentence: Building the wooden treehouse with my dad turned out to be a wonderful labor of love. / Stitching the quilt was a true labor of love for grandma.

Similar Expressions: Enjoyable project / Passionate work

10. Cup of tea

Definition: An activity, hobby, or thing that you particularly enjoy or prefer.

Used in a Sentence: Puzzles are really my cup of tea on quiet rainy afternoons. / Playing outdoor soccer is not his cup of tea, but he loves reading books instead.

Similar Expressions: Personal preference / Favorite thing

11. Right up my alley

Definition: Describing a hobby, task, or favorite interest that suits your skills perfectly.

Used in a Sentence: Designing cartoon characters was right up my alley during art class. / Solving science riddles is right up his alley because he loves experiments.

Similar Expressions: Perfect fit / Ideal interest

12. Music to my ears

Definition: Good news or a favorite sound that makes you very happy to hear.

Used in a Sentence: Hearing that school was canceled for snow was music to our ears. / The sound of the ice cream truck bell was music to my ears on a hot day.

Similar Expressions: Wonderful news / Pleasing sound

13. Peerless treasure

Definition: An item so uniquely wonderful and valuable that it has no equal favorite.

Used in a Sentence: Her grandfather’s handwritten recipe book was a peerless treasure in the kitchen. / Finding a vintage map felt like discovering a peerless treasure.

Similar Expressions: Incomparable gem / Unique favorite

14. First choice

Definition: The preferred option or favorite item selected before anything else.

Used in a Sentence: Chocolate ice cream was my first choice at the dessert counter. / Selecting our favorite board game was the first choice we made on game night.

Similar Expressions: Preferred pick / Top selection

15. The sun in my sky

Definition: A poetic way to describe your absolute favorite hobby or comforting routine.

Used in a Sentence: Painting landscapes every weekend was the sun in my sky during busy school months. / Listening to classical music felt like the sun in my sky after a hard test.

Similar Expressions: Brightest joy / Constant comfort

16. Heart’s delight

Definition: Something that brings total happiness, joy, and pleasure to your day.

Used in a Sentence: Browsing the comic book store was the absolute heart’s delight of my Saturday. / Baking sweet treats is always my heart’s delight.

Similar Expressions: Source of joy / Pure delight

17. The real deal

Definition: An authentic, high-quality item that meets all your expectations as a favorite.

Used in a Sentence: This vintage leather jacket is the real deal, not a cheap imitation. / When we tasted the authentic pizza, we knew it was the real deal.

Similar Expressions: Genuine article / Authentic choice

18. Cream of the crop

Definition: The very best items or favorite selections in a specific category.

Used in a Sentence: Those antique porcelain plates were the cream of the crop at the estate sale. / Selecting the best colored pencils meant picking the cream of the crop.

Similar Expressions: The very best / Top selection

19. Inner circle of favorites

Definition: An exclusive group of your most preferred hobbies, books, or items.

Used in a Sentence: Only my favorite science fiction books belong in the inner circle of favorites on my shelf. / That video game remains in his inner circle of favorites.

Similar Expressions: Trusted collection / Top tier

20. Gold standard

Definition: The highest standard of quality that makes something your favorite benchmark.

Used in a Sentence: That brand of bicycle is considered the gold standard for riders. / Her chocolate cake recipe is the gold standard for family birthdays.

Similar Expressions: Top quality / Premium standard

21. Number one

Definition: The most important, top-ranked, or favorite item in your collection.

Used in a Sentence: My blue hoodie will always be my number one piece of clothing. / Winning the gaming tournament made this console my number one gadget.

Similar Expressions: Top priority / Best item

22. Favorite of favorites

Definition: The ultimate top choice among all the objects or activities you care about.

Used in a Sentence: Among all the books on the shelf, this adventure story is my favorite of favorites. / She considers vanilla ice cream her favorite of favorites.

Similar Expressions: Ultimate top pick / Absolute favorite

23. Close to your heart

Definition: Describing a hobby, cause, or keepsake that you care about very deeply.

Used in a Sentence: Collecting vintage stamps is a hobby close to my heart. / Remembering my first painted picture will always stay close to my heart.

Similar Expressions: Deeply valued / Cherished privately

24. Safe harbor

Definition: A favorite place or room that provides total comfort, protection, and peace.

Used in a Sentence: My reading corner in the library feels like a safe harbor after a loud day. / Home is a safe harbor filled with my favorite things.

Similar Expressions: Comfort zone / Protected refuge

25. Comfort zone

Definition: A favorite environment or activity where you feel completely relaxed and secure.

Used in a Sentence: Painting in the art studio always brings me back to my comfort zone. / Reading mystery novels provides a nice comfort zone on weekends.

Similar Expressions: Safe space / Relaxed setting

26. Bright spot

Definition: A favorite item or event that brings happiness into a gloomy or difficult day.

Used in a Sentence: Opening my puzzle box was the bright spot of my rainy afternoon. / Recess is always the bright spot of a long school day.

Similar Expressions: Happy highlight / Pleasant moment

27. Sunshine of my day

Definition: A favorite routine or object that brightens your everyday mood.

Used in a Sentence: Drinking hot cocoa in the morning is truly the sunshine of my day. / Tending to my window plants brings the sunshine of my day.

Similar Expressions: Source of cheer / Joyful presence

28. Object of desire

Definition: Something you want or cherish more than anything else.

Used in a Sentence: That shiny red bicycle in the store window became the object of my desire. / The limited-edition action figure was the main object of desire for collectors.

Similar Expressions: Coveted item / Ultimate wish

29. Prized possession

Definition: An item that you value higher than any other thing you own.

Used in a Sentence: My grandfather’s old pocket watch is my most prized possession. / The signed baseball sits on the shelf as her prized possession.

Similar Expressions: Cherished item / Valued belonging

30. Collector’s item

Definition: An object of value that people seek out as a favorite hobby piece.

Used in a Sentence: That vintage comic book is now a rare collector’s item worth keeping safe. / We found a neat toy car that turned out to be a collector’s item.

Similar Expressions: Rare piece / Valued collectible

31. Faithful companion

Definition: An object, tool, or pet that you rely on constantly as a favorite.

Used in a Sentence: My trusty red backpack has been a faithful companion through all my school years. / My old bicycle acts as a faithful companion on weekend rides.

Similar Expressions: Reliable tool / Trusted item

32. Tried and true

Definition: A method, recipe, or item that you have tested and prefer above all others.

Used in a Sentence: Mom’s tried and true pancake recipe is always our breakfast favorite. / Using a paper notebook is my tried and true method for studying.

Similar Expressions: Reliable favorite / Proven method

33. Old reliable

Definition: A dependable favorite object that never lets you down when you need it.

Used in a Sentence: Whenever my fancy pen runs out of ink, I switch back to old reliable. / That sturdy wooden desk has been old reliable for my homework.

Similar Expressions: Dependable item / Trusty favorite

34. Go-to choice

Definition: Your automatic favorite option when selecting something quickly.

Used in a Sentence: Spaghetti is my go-to choice whenever we order family dinner. / Blue sneakers are my go-to choice for running outside.

Similar Expressions: Default favorite / Preferred pick

35. Magic bullet

Definition: An item or tool that solves your problems instantly and acts as a favorite solution.

Used in a Sentence: Using flashcards felt like a magic bullet for learning vocabulary words. / There is no magic bullet for cleaning rooms quickly, just hard work.

Similar Expressions: Perfect fix / Quick solution

36. Thing of beauty

Definition: An object so visually stunning that it becomes an instant favorite.

Used in a Sentence: The hand-carved wooden chess set was a true thing of beauty. / Watching the sunset paint the sky felt like looking at a thing of beauty.

Similar Expressions: Stunning sight / Gorgeous item

37. Work of art

Definition: An exceptional creation, painting, or object that you admire greatly.

Used in a Sentence: The intricate puzzle my sister built looked like a work of art. / Grandma’s knitted winter scarf was a colorful work of art.

Similar Expressions: Masterpiece / Exceptional creation

38. Showstopper

Definition: An item or performance so amazing that it steals the spotlight as a favorite.

Used in a Sentence: The giant chocolate cake at the bake sale was an absolute showstopper. / Her sparkling red dress was a real showstopper at the party.

Similar Expressions: Star attraction / Amazing highlight

39. Masterpiece

Definition: A supreme work of skill that stands out as your favorite creation.

Used in a Sentence: Leonardo da Vinci’s painting is celebrated around the world as a true masterpiece. / The model airplane Leo built was his own personal masterpiece.

Similar Expressions: Supreme work / Finest creation

40. Gem of an idea

Definition: A favorite thought, plan, or concept that stands out above others.

Used in a Sentence: Building a backyard obstacle course turned out to be a gem of an idea. / Her suggestion for our art project was a real gem of an idea.

Similar Expressions: Brilliant concept / Great plan

41. Piece de resistance

Definition: The most impressive or favorite item in a collection or meal.

Used in a Sentence: The warm apple pie was the piece de resistance of our family dinner. / The final fireworks display was the piece de resistance of the festival.

Similar Expressions: Main highlight / Best part

42. High-water mark

Definition: The peak level of quality for your favorite style or possession.

Used in a Sentence: That adventure novel represents the high-water mark of the author’s career. / Our treehouse design was the high-water mark of our summer projects.

Similar Expressions: Peak quality / Highest standard

43. Peak performance

Definition: Operating at the highest level of efficiency, like your favorite tool.

Used in a Sentence: My gaming computer was running at peak performance during the match. / Keeping our bicycles tuned up ensures peak performance on trails.

Similar Expressions: Top shape / Maximum efficiency

44. Ultimate choice

Definition: The final and absolute favorite option after comparing everything.

Used in a Sentence: Choosing the red bicycle was my ultimate choice at the store. / Reading mystery books remains my ultimate choice for bedtime stories.

Similar Expressions: Final pick / Top decision

45. Handpicked favorite

Definition: An item carefully selected out of many because it is your top preference.

Used in a Sentence: The shiny blue marble was his handpicked favorite from the collection. / These fresh strawberries are my handpicked favorite from the market.

Similar Expressions: Carefully chosen / Top selection

46. Specialty of the house

Definition: A favorite dish, skill, or activity that someone is famously known for.

Used in a Sentence: Homemade lasagna is the specialty of the house whenever grandma cooks. / Drawing cartoon animals is the specialty of the house in our art club.

Similar Expressions: Signature dish / Special skill

47. Signature style

Definition: A distinctive method or favorite way of doing things that belongs uniquely to you.

Used in a Sentence: Bright colorful sneakers became his signature style at school. / Painting glowing stars on canvas is her signature style.

Similar Expressions: Unique trademark / Personal touch

48. Pet project

Definition: A favorite task or hobby that you spend extra time on because you love it.

Used in a Sentence: Fixing up the vintage radio became dad’s favorite weekend pet project. / Building a miniature birdhouse was my science pet project.

Similar Expressions: Favorite task / Cherished hobby

49. Labor of joy

Definition: An activity you happily spend hours on because it brings you immense happiness.

Used in a Sentence: Organizing my comic book collection was a true labor of joy. / Gardening in the sunshine felt like a wonderful labor of joy.

Similar Expressions: Happy task / Enjoyable work

50. Heart’s treasure

Definition: An object or memory that you cherish more than any material wealth.

Used in a Sentence: The old photo album from our family vacation is my ultimate heart’s treasure. / That handwritten birthday card from my sister is a true heart’s treasure.

Similar Expressions: Cherished keepsake / Priceless item

Exercise to Practice

1. Grandma thought her old-fashioned sewing machine was the bee’s knees.
2. That vintage acoustic guitar is the apple of his eye and he polishes it every weekend.
3. That rare first-edition comic book is the absolute worst item on his bookshelf.
4. Maintaining his vegetable garden was grandfather’s absolute pride and joy.
5. He thought his new remote-controlled drone was a total failure and hated it.
6. Her science experiment won the blue ribbon at the state exhibition.
7. Among all the books on the library shelf, this mystery novel was the pick of the bunch.
8. My favorite dictionary during the spelling test was worth its weight in gold.
9. Building the wooden treehouse with my dad turned out to be a wonderful labor of love.
10. Puzzles are really my cup of tea on quiet rainy afternoons.
11. Designing cartoon characters was the worst possible task during art class.
12. Hearing that school was canceled for snow was music to our ears.
13. Her grandfather’s handwritten recipe book was a peerless treasure in the kitchen.
14. Chocolate ice cream was my first choice at the dessert counter.
15. Painting landscapes every weekend felt boring and was never enjoyed.

Answer Key

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. True
10. True
11. False
12. True
13. True
14. True
15. False

Conclusion

Learning these idioms helps make your writing and speaking much more colorful and fun. Instead of using plain words, you can use these special expressions to describe your favorite objects, hobbies, and prized possessions. Try using one or two of these idioms when you talk to your friends or write a story today. Notice how much brighter and more interesting your conversations become.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common idioms for favorite things?

Common idioms for favorite things include being the bee’s knees, the apple of your eye, and your pride and joy. These phrases help describe cherished objects, hobbies, and prized possessions in a colorful way.

Why do we use idioms in English?

We use idioms to make our language more expressive, creative, and interesting. They allow us to paint a picture with words instead of just stating simple facts.

How can I remember these idioms easily?

You can remember idioms by practicing them in daily conversations and writing your own funny sentences with them. Drawing pictures of what the literal words mean can also help you recall them.

Are idioms used in everyday spoken English?

Yes, native English speakers use idioms all the time in casual conversations, movies, books, and music. Learning them helps you understand what people mean when they talk or write.

Can I use these idioms in school writing?

You can use idioms in creative writing stories, journal entries, and speeches to make your writing stand out. Just remember to use formal language for serious reports and science papers.