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.

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

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

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026

Towards the end of the TV marathon, Putin was asked a series of quickfire questions, touching on his views on friendship, religion, the motherland and love at first sight.

From BBC • Dec. 19, 2025

He was "movie-star gorgeous," and it was pretty much love at first sight, she recalled.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2024

Daddy says it was love at first sight, happily volunteering to take the long route down south just to see her.

From "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany D. Jackson

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