Fruit idioms: 22 Useful Fruit Idioms
Fruit idioms add a flavorful twist to language. From “the apple of my eye” to “sour grapes,” they convey meaning with fruity charm, revealing insights about relationships, attitudes, and outcomes in a juicy way.
List of Fruit Idioms
- Sour grapes
- Apple of my eye
- Banana republic
- Cherry-pick
- Lemonade out of lemons
- Grapes of wrath
- Peachy keen
- Rotten apple
- Berry the hatchet
- In a pickle
- Orange is the new black
- Apron strings
- Full of beans
- Forbidden fruit
- Limey
- Fruit of labor
- Fruitcake
- In the fruit of the moment
- Fruitful endeavor
- The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree
- Apple of discord
- A lemon
List of Fruits idioms with meaning and Examples
Sour grapes
Meaning: When someone expresses disdain or jealousy towards something they cannot have or achieve.
Example sentences:
- John didn’t get the job he wanted, so now he’s saying he didn’t really like the company anyway. It’s just sour grapes.
- She couldn’t afford the expensive handbag, so she kept saying it wasn’t that stylish anyway. Typical sour grapes.
Apple of my eye
Meaning: A person or thing that is cherished or highly valued.
Example sentences:
- Sarah’s daughter is the apple of her eye; she adores her more than anything else in the world.
- That vintage car has been the apple of his eye for years; he takes great care of it.
Banana republic
Meaning: A small, politically unstable country that is dependent on another more powerful country, or a country characterized by corruption, exploitation, and lack of democracy.
Example sentence:
- The dictator ruled the country for decades, turning it into a banana republic with rampant corruption and human rights abuses.
Cherry-pick
Meaning: To select only the best or most desirable things or options, often leaving out the rest.
Example sentences:
- She always cherry-picks the ripest fruits from the grocery store, leaving the others behind.
- The politician was accused of cherry-picking data to support his argument while ignoring opposing viewpoints.
Lemonade out of lemons
Meaning: To make the best out of a difficult or challenging situation.
Example sentences:
- Despite losing his job, he started his own business and made lemonade out of lemons.
- After their vacation was canceled due to bad weather, they decided to explore local attractions and make lemonade out of lemons.
Grapes of wrath
Meaning: Intense anger or righteous indignation.
Example sentences:
- When he found out about the scam, he was filled with the grapes of wrath and vowed to seek justice.
- The protesters marched with the grapes of wrath, demanding change in the face of injustice.
Peachy keen
Meaning: Everything is fine or in perfect condition.
Example sentences:
- Don’t worry about me, everything is peachy keen in my world.
- Despite the challenges, she’s managing just fine and keeps telling everyone that everything is peachy keen.
Rotten apple
Meaning: A person who is a bad influence on others or who has a negative impact on a group or situation.
Example sentences:
- The new employee turned out to be a rotten apple, spreading negativity among the team.
- One bad teammate can spoil the entire project; he’s the rotten apple in the group.
Berry the hatchet
Meaning: To reconcile or make peace with someone after a conflict or disagreement.
Example sentences:
- After their argument, they decided to bury the hatchet and move on with their friendship.
- The two rival companies decided to bury the hatchet and collaborate on a joint venture.
In a pickle
Meaning: To be in a difficult or problematic situation.
Example sentences:
- He missed his flight and now he’s in a pickle, trying to rearrange his travel plans.
- She forgot her laptop for the important presentation, and now she’s in a pickle.
Orange is the new black
Meaning: A phrase used to highlight a shift in trends or a change in the norm.
Example sentence:
- In the fashion world, they say that orange is the new black, meaning that orange is now the trendy color to wear.
Apron strings
Meaning: To be overly dependent on someone, especially in a way that hinders personal growth or independence.
Example sentences:
- Even as an adult, he’s still tied to his mother’s apron strings, unable to make decisions on his own.
- She needs to cut the apron strings with her controlling partner and assert her own identity.
Full of beans
Meaning: To be full of energy, enthusiasm, or vitality.
Example sentences:
- The kids were full of beans after a day of playing at the park.
- Despite her age, she’s still full of beans and actively participates in community events.
Forbidden fruit
Meaning: Something that is desirable but is off-limits or prohibited.
Example sentence:
- He was drawn to the forbidden fruit of a risky business venture, despite knowing the potential consequences.
Limey
Meaning: A derogatory term used to refer to someone from Britain, particularly an English person.
Example sentences:
- He’s often teased by his American friends for being a limey because of his British accent.
- The term “limey” originated from the British sailors who used to consume limes to prevent scurvy during long sea voyages.
Fruit of labor
Meaning: The results or rewards that come from hard work or effort.
Example sentences:
- He finally bought his dream car with the fruit of his labor after years of saving and working hard.
- She felt a sense of accomplishment when she saw the fruit of her labor in the completed project.
Fruitcake
Meaning: A person who is eccentric, crazy, or odd in behavior or appearance.
Example sentences:
- The old man down the street is known as the neighborhood fruitcake because of his peculiar habits.
- She’s a bit of a fruitcake, always coming up with strange ideas and wearing mismatched clothes.
In the fruit of the moment
Meaning: To act impulsively or without careful consideration.
Example sentences:
- She regretted her decision to quit her job in the fruit of the moment, as she didn’t have a backup plan.
- It’s important to make informed decisions rather than acting in the fruit of the moment to avoid regrets later.
Fruitful endeavor
Meaning: A successful or productive effort or undertaking.
Example sentence:
- Their joint venture turned out to be a fruitful endeavor, resulting in significant profits.
The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree
Meaning: Children often exhibit similar traits or behaviors as their parents.
Example sentence:
- The son followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in politics. The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Apple of discord
Meaning: Something or someone that causes disagreement, conflict, or discord within a group.
Example sentences:
- The controversial topic became the apple of discord among the team members, resulting in heated debates.
- The new manager’s decision to restructure the department became the apple of discord in the office.
A lemon
Meaning: Something that is defective, unreliable, or of poor quality.
Example sentences:
- The used car he bought turned out to be a lemon, constantly breaking down.
- The cheap laptop he purchased online was a lemon, causing endless problems.
A tough nut to crack
Meaning: Something or someone that is difficult to understand, solve, or deal with.
Example sentences:
- The new employee proved to be a tough nut to crack, as he was resistant to change.
- The negotiations with the stubborn client were a tough nut to crack, but eventually, a compromise was reached.
List of idioms
Body parts idioms
Animals idioms
weather idioms
Clothing idioms
Money idioms