Idioms for Friendship: 60+ Meanings & Examples (Worksheets & Quiz)

Friendship is central to school, family, and community life. English speakers often use idioms for friendship to describe how connections form, grow, and sometimes face challenges. These phrases add color to conversations but can confuse learners because the meaning isn’t literal. This guide offers 60+ friendship idioms grouped by theme, each with a quick definition, short example, and usage note. You’ll also find labels for register (informal, slang, BrE/AmE), teacher tips, common mistakes, and printable practice activities. At the end, explore a friendship idioms worksheet PDF with lesson plan and quiz — everything teachers and students need in one hub.

What Is a Friendship Idiom?

An idiom is a fixed phrase whose meaning differs from the literal words. Friendship idioms capture feelings and social situations in a lively way, especially in spoken English.

Friendship Idioms Examples:

Hit it off – to become friends quickly.
Two peas in a pod – two people who are very alike.
Through thick and thin – to stay loyal in all situations.
Bury the hatchet – to make peace after a disagreement.

Because idioms are shaped by culture, their tone may change by register (formal, informal) or region (BrE/AmE). Learners should focus on context as much as meaning.

BrE vs AmE Idioms: What the Labels Mean

Most idioms work in both British and American English, but some lean one way:

BrE examples: get on like a house on fire, birds of a feather.
AmE examples: straight shooter, go to bat for someone, touch base.

Labels help learners know where an idiom feels most natural. Using a BrE idiom in the U.S. or an AmE phrase in the U.K. won’t confuse people, but teachers can highlight the differences.

Friendship Idioms by Theme

Making Friends / First Impressions

Hit it off (informal) — become friends quickly. “We hit it off at soccer practice.”
Click with (informal) — connect easily. “I clicked with my lab partner.”
Break the ice — start friendly talk. “The teacher’s game broke the ice.”
Get on like a house on fire (BrE, informal) — become close fast. “They got on like a house on fire.”
Bond over — connect through a shared interest. “We bonded over music.”
Make fast friends — become close quickly. “They made fast friends at camp.”
Find common ground — discover shared interests. “We found common ground in art.”
Strike up a friendship — begin a friendship. “She struck up a friendship with Alex.”
Frenemies – People who act like friends but are secretly rivals. “They’ve been frenemies since high school—always competing, but still close.”
Teacher Tip: Ask students to role-play meeting a new classmate and using “break the ice.”

Closeness & Compatibility: Idioms for Best Friends

Two peas in a pod — very alike. “They’re two peas in a pod.”
Birds of a feather (flock together) — people with similar interests stay close. “Birds of a feather, those two.”
Thick as thieves (informal) — extremely close friends. “They’re thick as thieves.”
Bestie / bestie material (slang) — very close friend. “She’s my bestie.”
Joined at the hip (informal) — always together. “They’re joined at the hip.”
Like family — extremely close. “My teammates are like family.”
Cut from the same cloth — very similar in character. “They’re cut from the same cloth.”
Hand in glove — work together perfectly. “We work hand in glove.”
Teacher Tip: Compare birds of a feather (neutral) with bestie (slang).

Loyalty & Support

Through thick and thin — loyal in all situations. “She stood by me through thick and thin.”
Have (someone’s) back (informal) — support and protect. “I’ve got your back.”
A shoulder to cry on — someone who listens kindly. “Thanks for being a shoulder to cry on.”
Stand by (someone) — remain supportive. “He stood by his teammate.”
Go to bat for (someone) (AmE, informal) — defend or support. “She went to bat for me.”
Stick by (someone) — continue supporting. “True friends stick by you.”
Back (someone) up — support their story/idea. “Can you back me up?”
Ride-or-die (slang) — totally loyal friend. “She’s my ride-or-die.”
Be someone’s rock – A friend who is dependable and gives strength. “During tough times, he was my rock.”
Teacher Tip: Tie in feelings vocabulary: “How does it feel when someone has your back?”

Trust & Honesty

Straight shooter (AmE, informal) — very honest person. “He’s a straight shooter.”
An open book — easy to understand. “She’s an open book.”
On the same page — in agreement. “We’re on the same page.”
On the same wavelength (informal) — think alike. “We’re on the same wavelength.”
Heart-to-heart — honest, deep talk. “We had a heart-to-heart.”
Keep it real (informal) — be genuine. “He always keeps it real.”
Tell it like it is (informal) — speak honestly. “She tells it like it is.”
Show your true colors — reveal real character. “He showed his true colors.”
Common Mistake: Same page vs same wavelength — one is neutral, one informal.

Fun & Good Times

Inside joke — a private joke shared by friends. “That’s our inside joke.”
Partner in crime (figurative; informal) — close companion. “She’s my partner in crime.” Note: Figurative; not about real crime.
Hang out (informal) — spend time together. “We hang out after school.”
Catch up — reconnect and share news. “Let’s catch up soon.”
Paint the town (red) (informal) — go out and celebrate. “They painted the town.”
Make a day of it — spend a whole day together. “We made a day of it.”
Crack each other up (informal) — make each other laugh. “They crack each other up.”
Have a blast (informal) — have great fun. “We had a blast.”
Teacher Tip: Role-play two friends catching up and using at least two idioms.

Conflict, Distance & Reconciliation

Fall out — argue. “They fell out last week.”
Give (someone) the cold shoulder — ignore someone. “He gave me the cold shoulder.”
At odds — disagree. “They’re at odds again.”
Drift apart — slowly lose closeness. “They drifted apart at college.”
Clear the air — resolve tension. “We cleared the air.”
Bury the hatchet — make peace. “They buried the hatchet.”
Patch things up — repair a friendship. “They patched things up.”
Water under the bridge — past problems forgiven. “It’s water under the bridge.”
Teacher Tip: Feelings link: “How would you feel if a friend gave you the cold shoulder?”

Staying in Touch / Long-Term Friends

Go back a long way — have known each other for years. “We go back a long way.”
Old friend — friend from the past. “She’s an old friend.”
Pick up where we left off — continue after a break. “We picked up where we left off.”
Keep in touch — stay connected. “Let’s keep in touch.”
Friend for life — lifelong friend. “She’s a friend for life.”
Check in on — contact to see how someone is. “I’ll check in on you.”
Drop a line (informal) — send a short message. “Drop me a line.”
Touch base (AmE, informal) — make quick contact. “Let’s touch base Monday.”
Teacher Tip: Contrast keep in touch (friendly) vs maintain contact (formal).

Boundaries & Red Flags (Use Carefully)

Fair-weather friend — only around in good times. “He’s a fair-weather friend.”
Stab in the back — betray someone. “She stabbed me in the back.”
Two-faced (informal, use kindly) — insincere, acts differently behind your back. “He’s two-faced.”
Frenemy (slang, use kindly) — friend who also acts like an enemy. “They’re frenemies.”
Use and throw (regional, informal) — exploit then leave. “He’s a ‘use and throw’ type.”
Talk behind (someone’s) back — say unkind things secretly. “They talked behind my back.”
Keep at arm’s length — keep distance. “I keep him at arm’s length.”
Wolf in sheep’s clothing — harmful person who seems kind. “He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
With friends like these, who needs enemies? – Used when friends act unkindly or betray you. “She spread rumors about me— with friends like these, who needs enemies?”
Teacher Tip: Suggest kinder alternatives (e.g., “not trustworthy”) when teaching these idioms.

✨ Interactive Friendship Idiom Generator

Looking for the perfect phrase to capture the spirit of friendship? Try our interactive idiom generator! Simply type in a word or phrase related to friendship—like best friends forever or loyal companion—and the tool will instantly generate 10 fun, creative friendship idioms for you. It’s a great way to discover new expressions, spark classroom discussions, or add variety to your writing

Simile vs Metaphor vs Idiom

Term	Core idea	Pattern	Example
Simile	Comparison using like/as	“X is like Y”	“We’re like family.”
Metaphor	Direct equation	“X is Y”	“He’s a rock for his friends.”
Idiom	Fixed phrase, not literal	Variable	“Thick as thieves.”

How to Use Friendship Idioms Naturally

Idioms make language lively, but too many can sound forced. Tips:

Match situation — use casual idioms with classmates, neutral ones in writing.
Watch register — mark informal, slang, or (BrE/AmE).
Use sparingly — one idiom is enough.
Avoid literal use — partner in crime is playful, not criminal.
Role-play dialogues — helps learners match idioms with emotions.

Mini-dialogue:
A: “You and Mia really hit it off, right?”
B: “Yes! We’re on the same page about everything.”
A: “Great, let’s catch up with her tomorrow.”

Friendship idioms add warmth, humor, and clarity to English. By learning 60+ idioms grouped by theme — from making friends to setting boundaries — learners can communicate feelings naturally. This guide of ESL friendship idioms with examples also includes a printable worksheet PDF, lesson plan, and quiz. Teachers can tie idioms to feelings vocabulary, role-plays, and everyday school life, while students build confidence in using them. Whether describing a close bond, a disagreement, or a way to keep in touch, these idioms about friends will make English feel more alive and authentic.

Are these idioms formal or informal?

Most are informal and best for conversation. Neutral ones (e.g., keep in touch, old friend) fit writing to

What are the most common idioms for close friends?

Two peas in a pod, thick as thieves, bestie, joined at the hip, friend for life. These are widely known idioms for best friends.

Can I use “partner in crime” at school?

Yes — but remember it’s figurative, not about real crime. Teachers should explain its playful use.

What’s a kind idiom to thank a friend?

A shoulder to cry on or have my back are positive choices.

Are there idioms about trust and loyalty?

Yes — through thick and thin, stick by, ride-or-die. These are key idioms about trust and loyalty.

What about idioms for disagreement with friends?

Fall out, at odds, give the cold shoulder show conflict. For repair, use patch things up or bury the hatchet — examples of idioms to reconcile/patch up.

Are there idioms to describe a friend?

Yes — bestie, like family, old friend, or fair-weather friend (caution). These are everyday idioms about friends.

What about phrases to keep in touch?

Use keep in touch, drop a line, touch base. These are classic phrases to keep in touch.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Tips: Role-Play Dialogues

Encourage students to practice these idioms in short, fun role-play conversations. Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give them a scenario to act out. Each group must naturally use at least one friendship idiom in their dialogue.

Examples:

Two friends making weekend plans (“We’re two peas in a pod—we both want to see the same movie!”).
A friend comforting another during a tough time (“Don’t worry, I’ll stick with you through thick and thin.”).
A playful disagreement between “frenemies” (“Well, with friends like you, who needs enemies?”).

This activity gets learners thinking creatively, builds contextual understanding, and helps idioms stick by using them in real-life conversation practice.

🧩 Friendship Idioms Quiz

Learning idioms is easier (and more fun!) when you test yourself. This short quiz lets you check how well you understand some of the most common expressions about friendship. Read each question carefully, choose the best answer, and see how you score!

📝 Friendship Idioms Worksheet and Lesson Plan

Reinforce learning with this interactive worksheet designed for practice and review. Students will match idioms with their meanings, complete fill-in-the-blank sentences, and apply the expressions in short dialogues. Perfect for ESL learners and classroom use, it gives learners the chance to actively use idioms about friendship instead of just memorizing them.

Idioms for Friendship_ Printable Worksheet & Lesson Plan Download