How do you say “Knock someone's socks off” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is époustoufler quelqu'un, which literally means “to astound someone”. English speakers use knock someone's socks off to mean to impress or amaze someone. A lively French verb for a strong surprise or impressive achievement. It does not preserve the socks image. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
époustoufler quelqu'un
/epustufle kɛlkœ̃/
- Literal meaning
- “to astound someone”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
93 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“Elle nous a époustouflés” works after an outstanding performance. The verb is stronger than simply saying you liked it.
It can also express astonishment without admiration. Make the positive reaction clear when praising food, music or someone’s skill.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The young singer’s final song knocked our socks off.
French
La dernière chanson de la jeune chanteuse nous a époustouflés.
English
Wait until you taste this sauce; it will knock your socks off.
French
Attends de goûter cette sauce ; elle va t'époustoufler.
Related expressions
- What “Knock someone's socks off” means in English
- Blow someone's mind, to amaze or impress someone very strongly
Last updated 2026-10-01