20 Sun Idioms and Expressions
20 SUN Idioms and Expressions
The sun has always played a powerful role in language. Long before air conditioning, sunglasses, and weather apps, people organised their lives around daylight, warmth, and seasons. It’s no surprise, then, that English is rich in idioms and expressions connected with the sun — from optimism and success to endings, opportunity, and intense heat. In this lesson, you will explore 20 “sun” idioms and expressions, as well as useful vocabulary items, explained in clear English and supported with natural example sentences. Many of these are perfect for B2–C1 learners, descriptive writing, and even Cambridge exam tasks — as long as you know when (and when not) to use them.
Classic sun idioms & figurative expressions
Bask in the sun
Meaning: to sit or lie in the sun and enjoy its warmth.
- The cat lay on the wall, basking in the sun for hours.
- After the hike, we basked in the sun and enjoyed the view.
Catch the sun
Meaning: to get sunburnt or slightly burnt by the sun.
- I caught the sun on my shoulders while swimming.
- He forgot sunscreen and caught the sun badly on his face.
Everything under the sun
Meaning: a very large number of things; almost everything imaginable.
- She’s tried everything under the sun to fix the problem.
- You can buy everything under the sun online these days.
Go to bed with the sun
Meaning: to go to bed early, traditionally at sunset.
- Before electricity, people often went to bed with the sun.
- He feels healthier when he goes to bed with the sun and rises early.
Make hay while the sun shines
Meaning: to take advantage of a good opportunity while it lasts.
- Business was booming, so they made hay while the sun shone.
- If you have free time now, make hay while the sun shines.
Place in the sun
Meaning: a good, successful, or respected position in life.
- After years of effort, she finally found her place in the sun.
- Every small business deserves a place in the sun.
Ray of sunshine
Meaning: a person who brings happiness or positivity to others.
- Her laughter was a real ray of sunshine in difficult times.
- The new student turned out to be a ray of sunshine for the class.
Rise with the sun
Meaning: to get up very early, at sunrise.
- Farmers often rise with the sun and work long days.
- Even on holiday, he rises with the sun. 20 SUN Idioms and Expressions
Walk/ride into the sunset
Meaning: to leave a situation happily or peacefully, often at the end of a story.
- After solving the case, the hero walked into the sunset.
- The film ends with them riding into the sunset together.
The sun sets on something
Meaning: something comes to an end.
- The sun finally set on the old empire.
- With new technology, the sun set on that way of working.
Sun idioms with informal or cultural colour
The sun shines out of someone’s backside
Meaning: (very informal) to admire someone so much that you see no faults. (Use with care — informal and slightly rude)
- He thinks the sun shines out of his boss’s backside.
- She talks about her son as if the sun shines out of his backside.
Land of the Rising Sun
Meaning: a poetic name for Japan.
- Japan is often called the Land of the Rising Sun.
- Cars from the Land of the Rising Sun are known for reliability.
Heat, places & lifestyle vocabulary (not Idioms, but very useful)
Scorcher
Meaning: a day of extreme heat.
- It’s going to be a scorcher today — stay in the shade.
- Last summer was full of scorchers.
Soak up the sun
Meaning: to enjoy sitting or lying in the sun.
- Tourists were soaking up the sun on the beach.
- She spent the afternoon soaking up the sun by the pool.
Suntrap
Meaning: a place that receives a lot of sunlight and heat.
- The balcony is a real suntrap in the afternoon.
- The room was a suntrap with no air conditioning.
Sun worshipper
Meaning: a person who loves sunbathing.
- The beach was packed with sun worshippers.
- She’s a sun worshipper who avoids shade completely.
Sun-kissed
Meaning: gently warmed or coloured by the sun.
- They walked along a sun-kissed beach at dusk.
- The city looked beautiful in the sun-kissed evening light.
Sunbed
Meaning: an indoor tanning bed.
- She uses a sunbed in winter to keep her tan.
- Doctors warn against frequent sunbed use.
Sunbelt
Meaning: a warm, sunny region, especially in the southern US.
- Many retirees move to the Sunbelt.
- The Sunbelt attracts tourists year-round.
Sunbrella
Meaning: a beach umbrella or outdoor shade structure.
- We rented sunbrellas for the whole family.
- The café has sunbrellas over every table.
Sun-related expressions add warmth, imagery, and emotion to your English — but like sunshine itself, they work best when used in the right amount and context. Mastering these expressions will help you sound more natural, expressive, and confident in both speaking and writing.
If you’d like to practise these idioms in speaking, writing, or exam-style tasks, guided support can make all the difference. A good teacher helps you step into the light — without getting burned ☀️😉
Green idioms and ways of using the word GREEN
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