harbor feelings for

Meaning

This phrase means to secretly keep or hold emotions, typically romantic feelings or a crush, towards someone over a long period. It often implies that these feelings are unexpressed, hidden, or unresolved. It carries a slightly dramatic or reflective tone.

Examples

• He realized he still harbored feelings for his high school sweetheart.

  He realized he still harbored feelings for his high school sweetheart.

• It's hard to move on when you secretly harbor feelings for a close friend.

  It's hard to move on when you secretly harbor feelings for a close friend.

• She didn't want to admit that she still harbored feelings for her ex-husband.

  She didn't want to admit that she still harbored feelings for her ex-husband.

• He had harbored feelings for her for years before finally asking her out.

  He had harbored feelings for her for years before finally asking her out.

• Are you sure you don't still harbor feelings for him?

  Are you sure you don't still harbor feelings for him?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She harbors romantic feelings to her colleague.

  ✓ She harbors romantic feelings for her colleague.

  The correct preposition to use after 'harbor feelings' is 'for', not 'to'.

• ✗ He is harboring feelings about his friend.

  ✓ He is harboring feelings for his friend.

  While 'harbor feelings about' can refer to general opinions or doubts, 'harbor feelings for' is the specific idiom for carrying romantic affection.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Even after the breakup, she continued to ___ him.

  💡 secretly keep romantic emotions towards

  Show answer

  harbor feelings for

• It is painful to ___ someone who only sees you as a friend.

  💡 hold hidden affection for

  Show answer

  harbor feelings for