love at first sight

Idioms

An instantaneous attraction to someone or something. For example, With Peter and Constance, it was a case of love at first sight, or When Dave saw that car, it was love at first sight. This expression was already used by Chaucer for romantic attraction in Troilus and Cressida: “She loved right from the first sight.” The transfer to objects dates from the first half of the 1900s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He fell in love at first sight with an attorney named Clare, with whom he had a long and happy marriage.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

It was love at first sight, an experience the now-63-year-old says he hadn’t had before—and hasn’t since.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Kennedy presented Kukita’s painting, and it was love at first sight for Kemp.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

It’s so recognizable because that’s always what love at first sight is.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026

It was love at first sight, like I’d been waiting for her all my life.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023