Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the actual words inside them. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful and exciting. In this article, you will learn sixty helpful idioms that all describe things or people that are loved best.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for favorite that mean a top choice or a favorite person. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Favorite
1. Apple of my eye
Meaning: Someone who is cherished and loved more than anyone else.
For Example: Little Maya was always the apple of her grandfather’s eye. / He looked at his puppy like it was the apple of his eye.
Other Ways to Say: Most precious / Dearest love
2. Teacher’s pet
Meaning: A student who seems to be the teacher’s favorite in class.
For Example: He always handed his homework in early, but he did not want to be called the teacher’s pet. / She sat in the front row and tried her best without acting like the teacher’s pet.
Other Ways to Say: Top student / Instructor’s favorite
3. Blue-eyed boy
Meaning: A favored male individual who can do no wrong in someone’s eyes.
For Example: The manager treated his nephew like the blue-eyed boy of the office. / He became the blue-eyed boy after scoring the winning goal.
Other Ways to Say: Golden boy / Favored person
4. Golden child
Meaning: A person who is viewed with great admiration and treated as a favorite.
For Example: Her older sister was always the golden child who won every science award. / He felt pressure to live up to being the golden child of the family.
Other Ways to Say: Star pupil / Top favorite
5. Number one choice
Meaning: The absolute best option selected above all others.
For Example: Chocolate ice cream was his number one choice for dessert. / Soccer was her number one choice of sport to play after school.
Other Ways to Say: Top pick / Best selection
6. Pride and joy
Meaning: Something or someone that brings the most happiness and satisfaction.
For Example: That vintage bicycle was his grandad’s pride and joy. / Her garden full of red roses was her absolute pride and joy.
Other Ways to Say: Greatest treasure / Special delight
7. Favorite son
Meaning: A man who is deeply admired and loved by his hometown or group.
For Example: The returning astronaut was welcomed home as the favorite son of the town. / The local writer was celebrated as the favorite son of the community.
Other Ways to Say: Hometown hero / Local favorite
8. Crown jewel
Meaning: The most prized, valuable, or favored item in a collection.
For Example: The rare comic book was the crown jewel of his collection. / That painting was considered the crown jewel of the art museum.
Other Ways to Say: Best piece / Main treasure
9. Pet project
Meaning: A special task or hobby that someone enjoys working on the most.
For Example: Building the treehouse was dad’s favorite pet project all summer. / She spent her free time working on her pet project of painting birds.
Other Ways to Say: Special hobby / Favorite task
10. Blue ribbon
Meaning: The top prize or highest award given to the best entry.
For Example: Her pumpkin pie won a blue ribbon at the county fair. / The science model took home the blue ribbon in the school contest.
Other Ways to Say: First place / Top prize
11. Right-hand man
Meaning: The most trusted and favored assistant or helper.
For Example: The team captain chose his best friend to be his right-hand man. / He relied on his brother as his right-hand man during the bake sale.
Other Ways to Say: Trusted helper / Chief assistant
12. Fair-haired boy
Meaning: A person who is favored and given special treatment by others.
For Example: He was the fair-haired boy of the coach because he never missed practice. / She felt like the fair-haired boy when she got picked first for the team.
Other Ways to Say: Favored child / Pet student
13. Choice pick
Meaning: The finest selection chosen out of many options.
For Example: The red apple from the basket was his choice pick for a snack. / That seat in the corner was her choice pick in the library.
Other Ways to Say: Best choice / Top selection
14. Top dog
Meaning: The most important, favored, or successful person in a group.
For Example: He wanted to work hard and become the top dog on the track team. / The biggest gaming store in town was the top dog for video games.
Other Ways to Say: Leader / Number one
15. Inner circle
Meaning: A favored group of close friends who share secrets and time.
For Example: Only his best friends were invited into his inner circle of gamers. / She felt proud to be included in the inner circle of the art club.
Other Ways to Say: Close group / Trusted friends
16. Life of the party
Meaning: The person everyone loves to watch and favorite guest at gatherings.
For Example: Uncle Joe was always the life of the party at family birthdays. / Her funny stories made her the life of the sleepover.
Other Ways to Say: Party favorite / Fun guest
17. Dear to my heart
Meaning: Something or someone cherished with deep affection.
For Example: That old teddy bear from her childhood was very dear to her heart. / Helping animals was a cause dear to his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Deeply loved / Cherished most
18. Cream of the crop
Meaning: The absolute best choices or highest quality people in a group.
For Example: The chess club members were considered the cream of the crop at school. / Those fresh strawberries were the cream of the crop from the farm.
Other Ways to Say: Best of all / Top choice
19. Talk of the town
Meaning: Something popular that everyone is talking about and favoring.
For Example: The new skate park became the talk of the town among teenagers. / Her amazing science project was the talk of the town.
Other Ways to Say: Local favorite / Popular topic
20. Prize possession
Meaning: The single item a person owns that they value the most.
For Example: His signed baseball bat was his absolute prize possession. / She treated her new watercolor paint set like a prize possession.
Other Ways to Say: Most valued / Favorite item
21. Blue-chip pick
Meaning: A choice that is guaranteed to be of the highest quality.
For Example: Selecting that textbook was a blue-chip pick for our history class. / He chose a blue-chip pick for his fantasy football team.
Other Ways to Say: Sure favorite / Top grade
22. Star of the show
Meaning: The favorite person who performs best or gets the most attention.
For Example: My little sister was the star of the school musical. / The golden retriever puppy was the star of the pet show.
Other Ways to Say: Main attraction / Favorite star
23. Favorite haunt
Meaning: A place that someone loves to visit more than any other.
For Example: The corner comic book shop was his favorite haunt on Saturdays. / The old oak tree in the park was her favorite haunt for reading.
Other Ways to Say: Loved spot / Preferred place
24. First love
Meaning: The activity, hobby, or person that someone cared about first and best.
For Example: Drawing pictures with crayons was her first love before she tried painting. / Basketball remained his first love even after he learned to play tennis.
Other Ways to Say: Original favorite / Earliest passion
25. Golden oldie
Meaning: A favorite older song, movie, or item that people still love.
For Example: My dad played a golden oldie tune on the radio during our car ride. / That black and white movie is a golden oldie in our household.
Other Ways to Say: Classic favorite / Timeless hit
26. Preferred option
Meaning: The choice that someone likes better than the alternatives.
For Example: Walking through the park was her preferred option over taking the bus. / Pizza was the preferred option for our Friday night dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Chosen favorite / Better pick
27. Sweetheart deal
Meaning: A favored agreement that gives someone the best advantages.
For Example: Getting two comic books for the price of one was a sweetheart deal. / He felt lucky to get such a sweetheart deal on his new bicycle.
Other Ways to Say: Special favor / Great choice
28. First choice
Meaning: The selection made before considering any other option.
For Example: Blue was his first choice of color for painting his bedroom walls. / Swimming lessons were her first choice for summer activities.
Other Ways to Say: Top pick / Main favorite
29. Best friend
Meaning: The favorite person someone chooses to spend all their time with.
For Example: She shared her lunchbox snacks with her best friend every day. / He and his dog were best friends who walked the trail together.
Other Ways to Say: Closest pal / Favorite companion
30. High on the list
Meaning: Something that ranks near the top of someone’s favorite things.
For Example: Roller coasters were high on the list of his favorite theme park rides. / Tacos were high on the list of her dinner choices.
Other Ways to Say: Preferred item / Top rank
31. Fancy free
Meaning: A favored way of living without worries or heavy responsibilities.
For Example: Summer vacation meant spending carefree days feeling light and fancy free. / The puppy ran across the meadow, feeling fancy free.
Other Ways to Say: Carefree favorite / Happy style
32. People’s choice
Meaning: The option selected and favored by the majority of a group.
For Example: The chocolate chip cookies won the people’s choice award at the bake sale. / That song was the people’s choice on the radio countdown.
Other Ways to Say: Crowd favorite / Popular pick
33. Main squeeze
Meaning: A playful term for a person’s absolute favorite romantic partner.
For Example: He bought flowers for his main squeeze on Valentine’s Day. / She smiled when her main squeeze brought her a cup of hot cocoa.
Other Ways to Say: Special someone / Favorite partner
34. Blue-ribbon choice
Meaning: A selection that stands out as the absolute best quality.
For Example: Choosing that hardcover dictionary was a blue-ribbon choice for school. / His recipe was a blue-ribbon choice for the cooking contest.
Other Ways to Say: Top selection / Best pick
35. Loved one
Meaning: A family member or special friend who is deeply cherished.
For Example: She wrote a thank-you letter to every loved one who attended her party. / Spending time with a loved one makes holidays special.
Other Ways to Say: Cherished person / Favorite relation
36. Golden boy of the team
Meaning: The player who is the absolute favorite of the coach and fans.
For Example: The star quarterback was the golden boy of the football team. / He felt like the golden boy after scoring three goals in a row.
Other Ways to Say: Star player / Favorite athlete
37. Top of the heap
Meaning: Being the ultimate favorite or most successful person in a group.
For Example: Winning the spelling bee put her right at the top of the heap. / He worked hard to get his video game score to the top of the heap.
Other Ways to Say: Number one / Ultimate best
38. Best bet
Meaning: The most reliable and favored option for success.
For Example: Studying early in the morning was his best bet for passing the test. / Taking the paved bike path was our best bet to avoid mud.
Other Ways to Say: Safest choice / Favorite option
39. Sweet tooth
Meaning: A strong personal preference or favorite craving for sugary foods.
For Example: My mom has a big sweet tooth for chocolate chip cookies. / He satisfied his sweet tooth by eating a bowl of strawberry ice cream.
Other Ways to Say: Sugar craving / Favorite treat
40. Chosen one
Meaning: A person selected above all others for a special role or favor.
For Example: In the storybook, the young hero was known as the chosen one. / He joked that he was the chosen one to pick the movie tonight.
Other Ways to Say: Selected favorite / Special pick
41. Blue-eyed favorite
Meaning: Someone who is clearly favored and treated with special care.
For Example: The tiny kitten was the blue-eyed favorite of the whole household. / She was the teacher’s blue-eyed favorite in art class.
Other Ways to Say: Special pet / Favored one
42. Cherished memory
Meaning: A favorite moment from the past that someone holds dear.
For Example: Catching his first fish with his dad was a cherished memory. / Her seventh birthday party remained a cherished memory.
Other Ways to Say: Favorite recollection / Special moment
43. Prime pick
Meaning: The highest quality selection chosen from a group.
For Example: He chose a prime pick of comic books from the store shelf. / Those red tomatoes were the prime pick of the garden harvest.
Other Ways to Say: Top choice / Best selection
44. True love
Meaning: The ultimate favorite person in someone’s heart.
For Example: They promised to be true love partners for the rest of their lives. / Finding his lost puppy felt like finding true love.
Other Ways to Say: Dearest heart / Ultimate favorite
45. Favored son
Meaning: A male family member or citizen who receives special praise.
For Example: The young artist returned to his village as a favored son. / He was the favored son when it came to helping on the farm.
Other Ways to Say: Special man / Loved relative
46. Specialty of the house
Meaning: The favorite dish or item that a place is best known for.
For Example: Blueberry pancakes were the specialty of the house at our local diner. / Magic tricks were the specialty of the house at the talent show.
Other Ways to Say: House favorite / Best specialty
47. Gold standard
Meaning: The absolute best example that all other favorite things are judged by.
For Example: That chocolate cake recipe is the gold standard for all desserts. / Her science project became the gold standard for the class.
Other Ways to Say: Ultimate favorite / Best measure
48. Preferred choice
Meaning: An option that someone likes much better than the rest.
For Example: Reading adventure books was her preferred choice during quiet time. / Blue sneakers were his preferred choice for gym class.
Other Ways to Say: Favorite pick / Better option
49. Sweetest thing
Meaning: A phrase used to describe a favorite, kind, or lovely gesture.
For Example: Bringing me a cup of tea when I was sick was the sweetest thing. / Her handmade birthday card was the sweetest thing I received.
Other Ways to Say: Loveliest gift / Favorite action
50. Star attraction
Meaning: The favorite feature or person that draws the most attention.
For Example: The baby panda was the star attraction at the city zoo. / The glowing magic show was the star attraction of the fair.
Other Ways to Say: Main favorite / Top draw
51. Blue ribbon winner
Meaning: A favorite entry that wins the highest award of excellence.
For Example: Her painting was a blue ribbon winner at the school art show. / The giant pumpkin was a blue ribbon winner at the fair.
Other Ways to Say: First place / Top winner
52. Top choice
Meaning: The absolute best selection among many options.
For Example: Visiting the science museum was our top choice for the school trip. / Vanilla milkshakes were her top choice at the cafe.
Other Ways to Say: Best pick / Favorite option
53. Pet namey
Meaning: A special, affectionate name given to someone you favor.
For Example: Calling his little sister pumpkin was his favorite pet name. / She used a sweet pet name for her fluffy white cat.
Other Ways to Say: Special nickname / Endearing title
54. Favorite pastime
Meaning: An activity that someone loves to do most in their free time.
For Example: Playing basketball in the driveway was his favorite pastime. / Reading mystery novels was her favorite pastime on rainy days.
Other Ways to Say: Loved hobby / Preferred activity
55. Crowned champion
Meaning: The favorite competitor who wins the final victory.
For Example: The fastest runner was crowned champion of the school track meet. / Our team was crowned champion after winning the tournament.
Other Ways to Say: Victorious favorite / Top winner
56. Apple of my eye selection
Meaning: A choice that is loved and valued above all other things.
For Example: That red bicycle was the apple of my eye selection in the catalog. / She picked the sparkly notebook as her favorite item.
Other Ways to Say: Most desired / Top pick
57. Sweetest memory
Meaning: A favorite past event that brings a smile to your face.
For Example: Baking cookies with grandma was his sweetest memory of childhood. / Winning the spelling trophy was her sweetest memory.
Other Ways to Say: Fondest recollection / Favorite moment
58. Favorite spot
Meaning: A specific location that someone loves to visit the most.
For Example: The shady bench under the willow tree was his favorite spot. / The cozy reading corner in the library was her favorite spot.
Other Ways to Say: Loved place / Preferred location
59. Number one fan
Meaning: The person who supports someone or something with the greatest devotion.
For Example: She was her brother’s number one fan at every soccer match. / He was the number one fan of the local baseball team.
Other Ways to Say: Devoted supporter / Greatest admirer
60. Ultimate favorite
Meaning: The single best thing chosen out of everything available.
For Example: Spaghetti with meatballs was his ultimate favorite dinner. / Green was her ultimate favorite color for clothing.
Other Ways to Say: Absolute best / Top pick
Exercise to Practice
- Little Maya was always the ________ of her grandfather’s eye.
- He always handed his homework in early, but he did not want to be called the teacher’s ________.
- Chocolate ice cream was his number one ________ for dessert.
- That vintage bicycle was his grandad’s pride and ________.
- The rare comic book was the crown ________ of his collection.
- The corner comic book shop was his favorite ________ on Saturdays.
- My dad played a golden ________ tune on the radio during our car ride.
- Pizza was the preferred ________ for our Friday night dinner.
- She shared her lunchbox snacks with her best ________ every day.
- My mom has a big sweet ________ for chocolate chip cookies.
- Catching his first fish with his dad was a cherished ________.
- Visiting the science museum was our top ________ for the school trip.
- Playing basketball in the driveway was his favorite ________.
- She was her brother’s number one ________ at every soccer match.
- Spaghetti with meatballs was his ultimate ________ dinner.
Answer Key
- apple
- pet
- choice
- joy
- jewel
- haunt
- oldie
- option
- friend
- tooth
- memory
- choice
- pastime
- fan
- favorite
Conclusion
Learning idioms about favorites helps you describe the people, places, and things you love best in creative and colorful ways. Instead of using plain words, you can paint a picture with language by using these fun expressions. Try using a few of these favorite idioms when you talk with your friends or write your next school story.
