Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder Meaning with Helpful Examples

What does “Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder” mean? This common term can be heard regularly in conversations but have you ever wondered where the phrase came from or what it means? If you have, then you will now learn why we use this phrase and what its origins are.

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder Meaning

The term “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” refers to the fact that all things or people are beautiful but it depends on who is viewing them. What one person deems to be beautiful, another may not and it is all down to personal preference. For example, you might find a rose the most beautiful flower in the world but your sister may not agree and might think that the daisy is the most beautiful.

Origin of this idiom

This phrase can be dated back to a writer named Margaret Wolfe Hungerford who first used the term in her 1878 book, Molly Bawn. However, there is some speculation that Plato came up with the idea behind this saying, although he did not use the words “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” exactly, he did talk about the meaning behind the phrase, this was all the way back in 400 BC!

“Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder” Examples

Example Sentences

You could use this phrase, as we mentioned earlier, to describe either people or objects, perhaps even places. You might use the term when talking about your husband or wife

  • “My husband is not your typically attractive man but to me he is gorgeous, after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder“. 

You could also use it to talk about a location

  • “My father loves the beach but I find it terrible, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder“.

Conversation Examples

When using this phrase in a conversation, it might sound like some of these examples.

Conversation 1:

  • Person 1: Have you seen Mikes new girlfriend?
  • Person 2: No, why do you ask?
  • Person 1: Well she isn’t very attractive.
  • Person 2: Mike must think she is, after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Conversation 2:

  • Person 1: I don’t see why Arthur has brought this painting, it’s so ugly.
  • Person 2: Yes, I think so too but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

Other ways you might refer to the meaning of this term could be:

  • To each his own
  • To each their own
  • There’s a lid for every pot
  • Everyone has his own tastes
  • Different people like different things
  • Not everyone has the same taste

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Last Updated on March 23, 2020

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