15 Apple Idioms in English (with meanings & examples)
15 apple idioms in English
Idioms make English more colourful, expressive, and memorable. One fruit that appears surprisingly often in English expressions is the apple. From family resemblance to risky decisions, apple idioms are used to talk about character, choices, conflict, and values. In this lesson, you’ll learn 15 apple idioms in English, all explained clearly with natural example sentences. These expressions are suitable for upper-intermediate and advanced learners (B2–C1) and often appear in reading texts, films, and everyday conversation.
Let’s take a bite 🍎
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Meaning: Eating healthy food helps you stay healthy.
- She rarely gets ill — she truly believes that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Meaning: Children are usually similar to their parents in character, behaviour, or talent.
- Tom’s become a brilliant pianist, just like his father. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
The apple of someone’s eye
Meaning: A person who is loved very much and treated as special.
- His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye.
The apple of discord
Meaning: Something that causes disagreement, jealousy, or conflict.
- Money became the apple of discord between the two business partners.
Apple-pie order
Meaning: Extremely neat, tidy, and well organised.
- She keeps her desk in apple-pie order at all times.
Apples and oranges
Meaning: Two things that are completely different and cannot be fairly compared.
- Comparing online learning to traditional classrooms is like comparing apples and oranges.
As American as apple pie
Meaning: Very typical of American culture.
- Baseball and hot dogs are as American as apple pie.
A bad apple
Meaning: A dishonest or unpleasant person who has a negative influence on others.
- Most of the staff are hardworking — it’s just one bad apple causing trouble.
One bad apple spoils the whole bunch
Meaning: One problematic person can negatively affect an entire group.
- Team morale dropped quickly — one bad apple really did spoil the whole bunch.
The Big Apple
Meaning: A common nickname for New York City.
- She moved to the Big Apple to pursue a career in acting.
Second bite of the apple
Meaning: Another chance to succeed after failing the first time.
- He failed the exam once but was grateful for a second bite of the apple.
Upset the apple cart
Meaning: To cause problems by disrupting a plan or situation.
- Nobody wanted to upset the apple cart by questioning the manager’s decision.
Motherhood and apple pie
Meaning: Ideas or principles that everyone agrees with and nobody argues against.
- Statements about protecting children are often treated as motherhood-and-apple-pie.
Apple-shaped
Meaning: Describing a body shape where weight is carried mainly around the waist.
- Doctors often discuss health risks associated with an apple-shaped body.
Final tip for learners
Apple idioms are memorable, but quality matters more than quantity. Focus on idioms you can use naturally, not obscure expressions that sound forced or confusing. If you can explain your ideas clearly and add one well-chosen idiom, your English will sound confident, fluent, and authentic.
After all, learning good idioms is never a bad apple 🍏
Click here to learn 17 DUCK idioms
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