Idioms for brother and sister are fun phrases that mean something different from the literal words you see on the page. People use them every day to add color to their conversations and share feelings quickly. In this article, you will learn many helpful idioms related to brother and sister relationships and sibling bonds.
In this lesson, we’ll look at Idioms that mean getting along with family, sibling rivalry, and supporting each other. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Brother And Sister
1. Thick as thieves
Meaning: Siblings who are extremely close friends and share everything together.
For Example: The brother and sister were as thick as thieves when building snow forts outside. / They shared every secret like they were as thick as thieves.
Other Ways to Say: Inseparable pals / Extremely close
2. Joined at the hip
Meaning: Siblings who spend almost all their time together in constant companionship.
For Example: Ever since starting school, the brother and sister have been joined at the hip. / The twins do everything together and act like they are joined at the hip.
Other Ways to Say: Inseparable / Always together
3. Two peas in a pod
Meaning: Siblings who look, act, or think so much alike that they match perfectly.
For Example: Both sister and brother loved drawing comic books, making them two peas in a pod. / The siblings shared every hobby and acted like two peas in a pod.
Other Ways to Say: Very similar pair / Perfect match
4. Oil and water
Meaning: Siblings with completely opposite personalities who do not mix well.
For Example: The quiet brother and the loud sister mixed together like oil and water. / Their hobbies were like oil and water, causing minor arguments.
Other Ways to Say: Opposites / Different personalities
5. Cat and dog
Meaning: Siblings who constantly argue and fight with each other like pets.
For Example: The young brother and sister fought like cat and dog over the television remote. / Despite acting like cat and dog, they always protected each other.
Other Ways to Say: Constantly argue / Quarrel often
6. Apple of your eye
Meaning: A brother or sister who is deeply loved and cherished by family.
For Example: The little sister was the apple of her older brother’s eye. / He treated his baby sister like the apple of his eye.
Other Ways to Say: Cherished person / Favorite sibling
7. Flesh and blood
Meaning: A close relative who is part of your biological family.
For Example: Even when they argued, he remembered she was his own flesh and blood. / Family members are your flesh and blood through every trial.
Other Ways to Say: Family member / Relative
8. Chip off the old block
Meaning: A sibling whose appearance or habits resemble their parents or siblings.
For Example: His younger brother played the piano wonderfully, proving he was a chip off the old block. / She baked pies just like her sister, like a chip off the old block.
Other Ways to Say: Similar family member / Just like family
9. Chip on your shoulder
Meaning: A sibling who carries an angry or easily annoyed attitude about things.
For Example: He walked around with a chip on his shoulder after losing the game. / Try to drop that chip on your shoulder and talk nicely to your sister.
Other Ways to Say: Grumpy attitude / Easily angered
10. Pass the buck
Meaning: Shifting blame or chores onto a brother or sister to avoid trouble.
For Example: He tried to pass the buck to his sister when the dishes were left dirty. / Don’t try to pass the buck when it is your turn to clean.
Other Ways to Say: Shift blame / Avoid responsibility
11. Keep the peace
Meaning: Trying to stop arguments between a brother and sister.
For Example: Mom tried hard to keep the peace during the long car ride. / Older siblings often help keep the peace when little arguments start.
Other Ways to Say: Stop arguments / Maintain calm
12. Rock the boat
Meaning: Causing trouble or starting a quarrel between family members.
For Example: He didn’t want to rock the boat, so he let his sister pick the game. / Stop teasing your brother and don’t rock the boat.
Other Ways to Say: Cause trouble / Stir up arguments
13. Bury the hatchet
Meaning: Ending an argument or fight with your brother or sister to make peace.
For Example: After fighting over toys, the siblings decided to bury the hatchet. / It is always best to bury the hatchet and share games peacefully.
Other Ways to Say: Make peace / Stop fighting
14. Clear the air
Meaning: Talking through a sibling disagreement to feel better and move forward.
For Example: The brother and sister sat down to clear the air about the broken toy. / Clearing the air helped them become friends again.
Other Ways to Say: Resolve tension / Talk it out
15. See eye to eye
Meaning: Agreeing completely on a topic or family decision.
For Example: The siblings rarely saw eye to eye on which movie to watch. / Once they talked, sister and brother finally saw eye to eye.
Other Ways to Say: Agree / Share views
16. Out of your hair
Meaning: Leaving a sibling alone so they can stop being bothered.
For Example: He finished his chores so his older sister would get out of his hair. / Leave your brother alone and get out of his hair.
Other Ways to Say: Stop bothering / Leave alone
17. Get under your skin
Meaning: Annoying or irritating a brother or sister on purpose.
For Example: The little brother knew exactly how to get under his sister’s skin. / Try not to let his teasing get under your skin.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy / Irritate
18. Drive someone up the wall
Meaning: Making a sibling extremely frustrated and annoyed with behavior.
For Example: Singing loudly in the car would drive her sister up the wall. / His constant whistling drove everyone up the wall.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy greatly / Frustrate
19. Push someone’s buttons
Meaning: Deliberately annoying a brother or sister to get a reaction.
For Example: He loved pushing his sister’s buttons by hiding her favorite book. / Stop pushing your brother’s buttons when he is studying.
Other Ways to Say: Provoke / Annoy deliberately
20. Rub someone the wrong way
Meaning: Irritating or annoying a sibling with words or actions.
For Example: Her bossy tone always rubbed her younger brother the wrong way. / He didn’t mean to rub his sister the wrong way with his comment.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy / Displease
21. Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: Teasing a brother or sister with a funny, harmless joke.
For Example: He told her the school was closed on Saturday, but he was just pulling her leg. / Don’t believe him because he is only pulling your leg.
Other Ways to Say: Tease / Joke with someone
22. Pull your weight
Meaning: Doing your fair share of chores alongside your siblings.
For Example: Dad reminded both children to pull their weight when cleaning the kitchen. / If we all pull our weight, the yard work finishes quickly.
Other Ways to Say: Do your share / Help out
23. Carry the burden
Meaning: Taking on extra work or worry to help a brother or sister.
For Example: The older sister tried to carry the burden of chores for the family. / Sharing tasks means nobody has to carry the burden alone.
Other Ways to Say: Help out / Shoulder responsibility
24. Lend a hand
Meaning: Offering helpful assistance to a sibling in need.
For Example: He was always quick to lend a hand when his sister dropped her books. / Sister and brother liked to lend a hand in the garden.
Other Ways to Say: Help / Assist
25. Have someone’s back
Meaning: Protecting and supporting your brother or sister against trouble.
For Example: The older brother promised to always have his sister’s back on the playground. / True siblings have each other’s back during tough times.
Other Ways to Say: Protect / Support loyally
26. Stand up for
Meaning: Defending your brother or sister when someone treats them unfairly.
For Example: She made sure to stand up for her younger brother at school. / Siblings should always stand up for each other.
Other Ways to Say: Defend / Protect publicly
27. Lean on each other
Meaning: Relying on family support during difficult moments.
For Example: When school got stressful, the brother and sister learned to lean on each other. / Family members lean on each other during hard times.
Other Ways to Say: Rely on family / Support mutually
28. Blood is thicker than water
Meaning: Family bonds are stronger and more important than other friendships.
For Example: Even though they fought, they remembered that blood is thicker than water. / When trouble came, they knew blood is thicker than water.
Other Ways to Say: Family comes first / Relatives matter most
29. Keep it in the family
Meaning: Keeping secrets, business, or gifts within family members only.
For Example: The secret recipe stayed within the siblings to keep it in the family. / They agreed to keep the surprise party plan in the family.
Other Ways to Say: Remain internal / Share among relatives
30. Run in the family
Meaning: A trait, talent, or look shared by brothers, sisters, and parents.
For Example: Playing guitar seemed to run in the family for the talented siblings. / Artistic talent ran in the family through generations.
Other Ways to Say: Shared trait / Family resemblance
31. Spitting image
Meaning: Looking almost identical to a brother, sister, or parent.
For Example: The younger brother was the spitting image of his dad when young. / She looked like the spitting image of her older sister in old photos.
Other Ways to Say: Lookalike / Identical appearance
32. Take after someone
Meaning: Resembling a family member in looks or personality.
For Example: He took after his creative sister by spending hours painting. / She took after her brother in loving sports.
Other Ways to Say: Resemble / Mirror traits
33. Cut from the same cloth
Meaning: Siblings who share very similar personalities and habits.
For Example: Both brother and sister loved reading science books, like they were cut from the same cloth. / Their shared kindness showed they were cut from the same cloth.
Other Ways to Say: Very similar / Matched personalities
34. Birds of a feather
Meaning: Two siblings who share identical interests and hobbies.
For Example: The sister and brother loved building model planes, acting like birds of a feather. / They were birds of a feather when it came to loving outdoor hikes.
Other Ways to Say: Similar pair / Alike people
35. Different as chalk and cheese
Meaning: Siblings who have completely opposite personalities and likes.
For Example: While the brother loved sports, his sister loved art, making them as different as chalk and cheese. / The twins were as different as chalk and cheese.
Other Ways to Say: Total opposites / Very different
36. Polar opposites
Meaning: Siblings whose traits are the complete opposite of each other.
For Example: The quiet sister and the chatty brother were polar opposites. / Despite being polar opposites, they got along wonderfully.
Other Ways to Say: Complete opposites / Contrasting styles
37. Brother from another mother
Meaning: A close friend who feels like a brother, though not related.
For Example: Because they shared every hobby, he called his best friend his brother from another mother. / The two boys acted like brothers from another mother at camp.
Other Ways to Say: Close friend / Sibling-like pal
38. Sister from another mister
Meaning: A close female friend who feels just like a sister.
For Example: They wore matching outfits and joked they were sisters from another mister. / She introduced her best friend as her sister from another mister.
Other Ways to Say: Close friend / Family-like pal
39. Keeper of secrets
Meaning: A brother or sister who safely guards your private thoughts.
For Example: Her older sister acted as her trusted keeper of secrets. / Diaries were safe with him as the keeper of secrets.
Other Ways to Say: Confidant / Secret guardian
40. Friendly rival
Meaning: A sibling who competes with you in games while remaining supportive.
For Example: In track events, the sister and brother acted as friendly rivals. / Being friendly rivals made sports practice much more fun.
Other Ways to Say: Competitor / Sports opponent
41. Sibling rivalry
Meaning: Competition and occasional jealousy between brothers and sisters.
For Example: Slight sibling rivalry appeared when both wanted the last cookie. / Parents try to manage sibling rivalry fairly.
Other Ways to Say: Family competition / Sibling fights
42. Brotherly love
Meaning: Affection, kindness, and support shown between brothers and sisters.
For Example: Sharing his candy with his sister was a sweet act of brotherly love. / They showed true brotherly love when helping each other study.
Other Ways to Say: Sibling affection / Family care
43. Sisterly bond
Meaning: A warm, close connection shared between sisters or siblings.
For Example: Sharing clothes and stories strengthened their sisterly bond. / The two girls cherished their strong sisterly bond.
Other Ways to Say: Family connection / Sisterly love
44. Family ties
Meaning: The strong emotional and biological links connecting relatives.
For Example: Holiday gatherings helped strengthen family ties across generations. / Strong family ties keep brothers and sisters connected.
Other Ways to Say: Family links / Relatives connection
45. Next of kin
Meaning: Your closest living family members, like a brother or sister.
For Example: The school emergency card listed the older sister as next of kin. / Brothers and sisters are often your closest next of kin.
Other Ways to Say: Closest relative / Family member
46. Family skeleton
Meaning: An old, embarrassing family secret kept hidden by siblings.
For Example: They joked about an old family skeleton in the attic trunk. / Keeping family secrets hidden protects the household.
Other Ways to Say: Family secret / Hidden past
47. Black sheep of the family
Meaning: A sibling who behaves differently or rebels against family norms.
For Example: He wore bright neon clothes while his family wore plain suits, feeling like the black sheep. / Every family has a playful black sheep.
Other Ways to Say: Rebellious member / Outsider sibling
48. Golden child
Meaning: A sibling who receives special praise and favor from parents.
For Example: Getting straight A grades made him feel like the golden child sometimes. / She didn’t want to act like the golden child in front of her sister.
Other Ways to Say: Favorite sibling / Pet child
49. Middle child syndrome
Meaning: The feeling of being overlooked between an older and younger sibling.
For Example: Sometimes middle child syndrome makes you want extra attention. / Being the middle sibling comes with unique experiences.
Other Ways to Say: Middle sibling feelings / Family position
50. Baby of the family
Meaning: The youngest brother or sister in a household.
For Example: Being the baby of the family, she was spoiled with extra attention. / The youngest brother enjoyed being the baby of the family.
Other Ways to Say: Youngest sibling / Little one
51. Eldest sibling wisdom
Meaning: Advice and leadership expected from the oldest brother or sister.
For Example: The oldest sister shared her eldest sibling wisdom about school. / Relying on eldest sibling wisdom helped solve the dilemma.
Other Ways to Say: Oldest sibling advice / Leader guidance
52. Growing pains of siblings
Meaning: The natural arguments and learning steps brothers and sisters experience.
For Example: Sharing a bedroom came with the growing pains of siblings. / Learning to compromise is part of the growing pains of siblings.
Other Ways to Say: Sibling challenges / Family learning
53. Family tree branch
Meaning: A relative who forms part of the extended family generation.
For Example: Visiting cousins added new branches to our family tree. / Every brother and sister represents a family tree branch.
Other Ways to Say: Relative / Family line
54. Household chores division
Meaning: Splitting cleaning duties fairly among brothers and sisters.
For Example: A fair household chores division kept everyone happy. / The sibling agreement ensured a good household chores division.
Other Ways to Say: Task sharing / Chore split
55. Shared bedroom truce
Meaning: An agreement between siblings to stop fighting over room space.
For Example: Drawing a line down the middle of the rug established a shared bedroom truce. / The sisters made a shared bedroom truce for the night.
Other Ways to Say: Room agreement / Sibling truce
56. Holiday table chatter
Meaning: Loud and joyful conversations shared by family during gatherings.
For Example: The brother and sister laughed during the noisy holiday table chatter. / Thanksgiving dinner was filled with fun holiday table chatter.
Other Ways to Say: Family talk / Holiday conversation
57. Family album memories
Meaning: Looking back at photographs of growing up with siblings.
For Example: They spent Sunday afternoon laughing over old family album memories. / Flipping through pages created wonderful family album memories.
Other Ways to Say: Childhood photos / Family history
58. Sibling support system
Meaning: Brothers and sisters helping each other through life’s challenges.
For Example: Having a reliable sibling support system makes school much easier. / Relying on a sibling support system brings comfort.
Other Ways to Say: Family network / Sibling help
59. Growing up together
Meaning: Sharing childhood experiences as brothers and sisters.
For Example: Growing up together created a lifetime of shared stories for the twins. / The siblings spent years growing up together in the countryside.
Other Ways to Say: Shared childhood / Aging together
60. Lifelong sibling bond
Meaning: The permanent, loving connection between brothers and sisters.
For Example: Even as adults, their lifelong sibling bond remained strong. / A lifelong sibling bond is one of life’s greatest treasures.
Other Ways to Say: Permanent family link / Enduring bond
Exercise to Practice
- The brother and sister were as ________ when building snow forts outside.
- Ever since starting school, the two siblings have been ________.
- Both sister and brother loved drawing comic books, making them two ________.
- The quiet brother and the loud sister mixed together like ________.
- The young brother and sister fought like ________ over the television remote.
- The little sister was the ________ of her older brother’s eye.
- Even when they argued, he remembered she was his own ________.
- Mom tried hard to ________ during the long car ride.
- He didn’t want to ________, so he let his sister pick the game.
- After fighting over toys, the siblings decided to ________.
- The little brother knew exactly how to get ________ his sister’s skin.
- Singing loudly in the car would drive her sister ________ the wall.
- He was always quick to ________ when his sister dropped her books.
- The older brother promised to always have his ________ on the playground.
- Even though they fought, they remembered that ________ is thicker than water.
Answer Key
- thick as thieves
- joined at the hip
- peas in a pod
- oil and water
- cat and dog
- apple
- flesh and blood
- keep the peace
- rock the boat
- bury the hatchet
- under
- up
- lend a hand
- back
- blood
Conclusion
Learning idioms related to brother and sister helps us describe family relationships and sibling love with colorful language. These warm expressions bring humor and emotional depth to our everyday conversations about growing up together. Try using a few of these new idioms when talking about your own family or characters in books today. You will make your language more expressive while celebrating the wonderful bonds of family.
