50 Idioms for Feeling Depressed (Meanings & Examples)

Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the words inside them. People use them to make their speaking and writing more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn fifty special idioms related to feeling sad, down in the dumps, and feeling depressed.

In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean carrying heavy emotions or having a gloomy mood. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.

Idioms for Feeling Depressed

1. Feel blue

Definition: To feel sad, gloomy, or down in spirit.

Used in a Sentence: On rainy days when recess is canceled, the kids tend to feel blue. / Maya felt a bit blue after her best friend moved to a new school.

Similar Expressions: Feel down / Be gloomy

2. Down in the dumps

Definition: To feel very sad, unhappy, or discouraged about a situation.

Used in a Sentence: After losing the championship game, the whole team was feeling down in the dumps. / Do not stay down in the dumps just because you made one little mistake.

Similar Expressions: Feel discouraged / Be unhappy

3. Heavy heart

Definition: To feel deep sorrow, sadness, or grief weighing heavily inside you.

Used in a Sentence: I walked home with a heavy heart after saying goodbye to my pet cat. / Leaving our favorite vacation spot always leaves us with a heavy heart.

Similar Expressions: Feel sorrowful / Be grief-stricken

4. Sink like a stone

Definition: To experience a sudden feeling of hopelessness or deep disappointment.

Used in a Sentence: My heart sank like a stone when I realized I left my homework at home. / Hearing the bad news made his spirit sink like a stone.

Similar Expressions: Feel hopeless / Be crushed

5. Gloom and doom

Definition: A feeling of total hopelessness, despair, and negative emotion.

Used in a Sentence: Do not let a single rainy afternoon fill your mind with gloom and doom. / The spooky story created an atmosphere of gloom and doom.

Similar Expressions: Feel hopeless / Despair deeply

6. Under the weather

Definition: To feel slightly sick, tired, or low in energy and mood.

Used in a Sentence: Grandpa felt a bit under the weather this morning and stayed in bed to rest. / When I wake up early, I usually feel a bit under the weather all day.

Similar Expressions: Feel unwell / Be low

7. Down in the mouth

Definition: Looking sad, disappointed, or unhappy with a downturned expression.

Used in a Sentence: Leo looked rather down in the mouth after his favorite toy broke. / Why are you looking so down in the mouth today?

Similar Expressions: Look glum / Seem sad

8. Cry your eyes out

Definition: To cry very hard and for a long time because of deep sadness.

Used in a Sentence: She cried her eyes out when her favorite pet hamster passed away. / Losing the final game made the little boy cry his eyes out.

Similar Expressions: Weep bitterly / Sob heavily

9. Lump in your throat

Definition: A tight feeling in your neck caused by strong emotions like sadness or worry.

Used in a Sentence: I had a lump in my throat while saying goodbye to my best friend. / Listening to the sad song gave her a lump in her throat.

Similar Expressions: Feel choked up / Get emotional

10. Out of sorts

Definition: To feel slightly sad, grumpy, or out of your usual good mood.

Used in a Sentence: Grandpa felt a bit out of sorts this morning and stayed in bed to rest. / When I wake up tired, I usually feel out of sorts all day.

Similar Expressions: Feel grumpy / Be unwell

11. Eat your heart out

Definition: To consume yourself with excessive sadness, regret, or longing.

Used in a Sentence: Do not sit around and eat your heart out over a silly mistake. / When she saw our cool treehouse, she wished she had one instead of feeling sad.

Similar Expressions: Grieve overmuch / Fret endlessly

12. Face like a wet weekend

Definition: Having a very miserable, unhappy, or depressed expression on your face.

Used in a Sentence: He sat by the window with a face like a wet weekend after his trip was canceled. / Why the face like a wet weekend? Cheer up!

Similar Expressions: Look miserable / Seem glum

13. Cast down

Definition: To feel dejected, depressed, or discouraged by bad news.

Used in a Sentence: She was very cast down when her art project did not win a ribbon. / Do not let temporary setbacks leave you feeling cast down.

Similar Expressions: Feel dejected / Be discouraged

14. Low spirits

Definition: A state of feeling depressed, lacking energy, and unenthusiastic.

Used in a Sentence: The continuous rainy week kept everyone in low spirits. / After the loss, the team was in low spirits.

Similar Expressions: Feel gloomy / Lack cheer

15. A dark cloud hanging over you

Definition: A persistent feeling of trouble, depression, or sadness following you.

Used in a Sentence: He felt like a dark cloud hung over him all week after failing the test. / Once we solved the problem, the dark cloud lifted.

Similar Expressions: Ongoing gloom / Lingering sadness

16. Carry the weight of the world on your shoulders

Definition: To feel overwhelmed by worries, sadness, and heavy responsibilities.

Used in a Sentence: She looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders after getting too much homework. / Do not try to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone.

Similar Expressions: Feel overwhelmed / Bear heavy stress

17. Down on your luck

Definition: Experiencing a period of bad fortune, sadness, and depression.

Used in a Sentence: After losing his wallet, he felt down on his luck for a few days. / Kindness can help people who feel down on their luck.

Similar Expressions: Face hard times / Experience bad fortune

18. Heart broken

Definition: Experiencing intense emotional pain, grief, and depression from a loss.

Used in a Sentence: She was heartbroken when her favorite bookstore had to close down. / Losing his pet made him feel completely heartbroken.

Similar Expressions: Devastated / Grieving deeply

19. In the doldrums

Definition: A state of inactivity, depression, or lack of enthusiasm.

Used in a Sentence: Our club was stuck in the doldrums until we planned a fun new project. / Winter weather can put people in the doldrums.

Similar Expressions: Feel listless / Be sluggish

20. Blue funk

Definition: A state of deep depression, anxiety, or low mood.

Used in a Sentence: He fell into a blue funk after missing the soccer match. / Listening to cheerful music helped snap her out of her blue funk.

Similar Expressions: Depressed mood / Low spell

21. Down in the dumps of despair

Definition: An exaggerated way of saying you feel utterly hopeless and sad.

Used in a Sentence: After failing the project, he felt completely down in the dumps of despair. / Talking to a friend can lift you out of despair.

Similar Expressions: Utterly hopeless / Deeply sad

22. Melancholy mood

Definition: A quiet, gentle, but persistent feeling of sadness or depression.

Used in a Sentence: Watching the autumn leaves fall put her into a quiet, melancholy mood. / Poetry often captures a deep, melancholy mood.

Similar Expressions: Quiet sadness / Reflective gloom

23. Out in the cold

Definition: Feeling isolated, left out, ignored, and depressed by others.

Used in a Sentence: Not being picked for the game made him feel left out in the cold. / We made sure no new student felt left out in the cold.

Similar Expressions: Isolated / Ignored

24. Fed up

Definition: Annoyed, tired, and depressed by an ongoing negative situation.

Used in a Sentence: I am completely fed up with this rainy weather ruining our outdoor plans. / Mom was fed up with everyone leaving toys on the stairs.

Similar Expressions: Exasperated / Tired out

25. Sick at heart

Definition: Feeling deep sorrow, disappointment, or depression about something bad.

Used in a Sentence: We felt sick at heart when we saw the damaged park trees. / Hearing about the lost puppy left her sick at heart.

Similar Expressions: Deeply grieved / Very sad

26. Walking through mud

Definition: A feeling of mental slowness, exhaustion, and mild depression.

Used in a Sentence: Without enough sleep, my brain felt like it was walking through mud all morning. / Studying while tired feels like walking through mud.

Similar Expressions: Feel sluggish / Mentally tired

27. Downer

Definition: Something or someone that causes a sudden drop in mood or depression.

Used in a Sentence: Hearing that the trip was delayed was a real downer for everyone. / Let’s change the topic because this is becoming a downer.

Similar Expressions: Mood killer / Disappointment

28. In low gear

Definition: Feeling slow, unmotivated, and depressed in energy levels.

Used in a Sentence: Monday mornings always make my brain run in low gear. / After resting, we shifted back from low gear to high energy.

Similar Expressions: Slow energy / Sluggish mood

29. Weight on your chest

Definition: A physical sensation of tightness and sadness caused by stress or depression.

Used in a Sentence: Worrying about the exam gave her a heavy weight on her chest. / Sharing her worries removed the heavy weight on her chest.

Similar Expressions: Oppressive worry / Tight stress

30. Spirit crushed

Definition: Having your enthusiasm, hope, and happiness completely destroyed by bad news.

Used in a Sentence: His spirit was crushed when his drawing got ruined by spilled water. / Kind words can restore a crushed spirit.

Similar Expressions: Heartbroken / Demoralized

31. Drenched in sorrow

Definition: Completely overwhelmed by deep sadness and depression.

Used in a Sentence: The tragic story left the readers feeling drenched in sorrow. / She sat quietly, feeling drenched in sorrow after the bad news.

Similar Expressions: Deeply sad / Overwhelmed by grief

32. Shadow over your day

Definition: A temporary feeling of gloom or depression affecting your mood.

Used in a Sentence: Losing my favorite pencil put a shadow over my entire morning. / A quick walk in the sun removed the shadow over my day.

Similar Expressions: Minor gloom / Brief cloud

33. Feel hollow inside

Definition: A feeling of emotional numbness, emptiness, and depression.

Used in a Sentence: Saying goodbye to his best friend made him feel hollow inside. / Grief can sometimes make a person feel hollow inside.

Similar Expressions: Emotionally empty / Numb

34. Blue devil

Definition: An old-fashioned term for feelings of severe depression or melancholy.

Used in a Sentence: Reading a funny book is a great way to chase away the blue devils. / He fought off a blue devils mood by going for a walk.

Similar Expressions: Melancholy spell / Sad fit

35. Pit of despair

Definition: An intense, overwhelming state of hopeless depression.

Used in a Sentence: Falling behind on homework can sometimes feel like sinking into a pit of despair. / Friends helped pull him out of the pit of despair.

Similar Expressions: Deep hopelessness / Extreme sadness

36. Out of sorts and spirits

Definition: Feeling physically unwell and emotionally depressed at the same time.

Used in a Sentence: Catching a cold left her feeling completely out of sorts and spirits. / Rest and tea helped cure her out of sorts and spirits mood.

Similar Expressions: Unwell and glum / Low energy

37. Crestfallen

Definition: Sad, depressed, and disappointed after a sudden setback.

Used in a Sentence: He looked crestfallen when his soccer shot missed the goal. / She was crestfallen when her painting didn’t win.

Similar Expressions: Disappointed / Dejected

38. Down to earth with a bump

Definition: A sudden return to harsh reality that causes sadness and disappointment.

Used in a sentence: Losing the match brought our winning team down to earth with a bump. / Reality checks can bring you down to earth with a bump.

Similar Expressions: Harsh reality / Sudden drop

39. Flat as a pancake

Definition: Lacking energy, excitement, enthusiasm, or emotional lift.

Used in a Sentence: After working all day, my mood felt flat as a pancake. / The party atmosphere was flat as a pancake until the music started.

Similar Expressions: Lifeless / Low energy

40. Out of tune

Definition: Feeling emotionally unbalanced, sad, and disconnected from others.

Used in a Sentence: Without my usual routine, I felt completely out of tune all week. / Taking time to relax helped fix my out of tune mood.

Similar Expressions: Disconnected / Unbalanced

41. Low profile

Definition: Staying quiet and hidden because you feel sad or depressed.

Used in a Sentence: He decided to keep a low profile in class after feeling down. / Keeping a low profile helped her rest and recover her mood.

Similar Expressions: Stay quiet / Remain hidden

42. Down the drain

Definition: Feeling like your hard work, hope, and happiness went to waste, causing sadness.

Used in a Sentence: Seeing his broken model made him feel like all his effort went down the drain. / Don’t give up; your hard work isn’t down the drain.

Similar Expressions: Wasted effort / Disappointment

43. Dark days

Definition: A prolonged period of difficulty, sadness, and depression.

Used in a Sentence: Our family went through some dark days when our car broke down constantly. / Brighter days always follow dark days.

Similar Expressions: Tough times / Difficult era

44. Lose your spark

Definition: To lose your enthusiasm, joy, and positive energy due to depression or burnout.

Used in a Sentence: Working too many hours without rest made her lose her spark. / Fun hobbies help you regain your lost spark.

Similar Expressions: Lose enthusiasm / Burn out

45. Heavy laden

Definition: Burdened heavily with worries, sadness, and emotional stress.

Used in a Sentence: He walked home heavy laden with worries about his school exams. / Sharing your problems lightens a heavy laden mind.

Similar Expressions: Burdened / Stressed

46. Under a cloud

Definition: Suspected of trouble or feeling depressed under a gloomy mood.

Used in a Sentence: She felt like she was under a cloud all afternoon after the argument. / The team played under a cloud of worry.

Similar Expressions: Gloomy mood / Under suspicion

47. Blue mood

Definition: A temporary state of feeling sad, depressed, or melancholy.

Used in a Sentence: Listening to soft music helped her pass through a brief blue mood. / Everyone experiences a blue mood sometimes.

Similar Expressions: Sad spell / Low feeling

48. Bleak outlook

Definition: A pessimistic, hopeless, and depressed view of the future.

Used in a Sentence: Rainy weather gave him a bleak outlook on our outdoor picnic plans. / Optimism helps change a bleak outlook into hope.

Similar Expressions: Hopeless view / Pessimistic thought

49. Weary and worn

Definition: Extremely tired in body and depressed in spirit.

Used in a Sentence: After finishing the long exam, the students felt weary and worn. / Rest is the best cure for feeling weary and worn.

Similar Expressions: Exhausted / Drained

50. Sink into gloom

Definition: To gradually fall into a state of sadness and depression.

Used in a Sentence: Reading sad stories late at night made him sink into gloom. / Bright lights and cheerful friends stopped her from sinking into gloom.

Similar Expressions: Grow sad / Fall into despair

Exercise to Practice

1. On rainy days when recess is canceled, the kids tend to feel blue.
2. After losing the championship game, the whole team was feeling down in the dumps and celebrating loudly.
3. I walked home with a heavy heart after saying goodbye to my pet cat.
4. My heart sank like a stone when I realized I left my homework at home.
5. Do not let a single rainy afternoon fill your mind with gloom and doom and absolute happiness.
6. Grandpa felt a bit under the weather this morning and stayed in bed to rest.
7. Leo looked rather down in the mouth after winning first place in the art contest.
8. She cried her eyes out when her favorite pet hamster passed away.
9. I had a lump in my throat while saying goodbye to my best friend.
10. Grandpa felt a bit out of sorts this morning and stayed in bed to rest.
11. He fell into a blue funk after missing the soccer match.
12. Watching the autumn leaves fall put her into a quiet, melancholy mood.
13. Not being picked for the game made him feel left out in the cold.
14. I am completely fed up with this rainy weather ruining our outdoor plans.
15. We felt sick at heart when we saw the damaged park trees.

Answer Key

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. True
11. True
12. True
13. True
14. True
15. True

Conclusion

Learning these idioms helps make your writing and speaking much more colorful and fun. Instead of using plain words, you can use these special expressions to describe feelings of sadness and depression. Try using one or two of these idioms when you write a story today. Notice how much brighter and more interesting your writing becomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common idioms for feeling depressed?

Common idioms for feeling depressed include feeling blue, being down in the dumps, and having a heavy heart. These phrases help describe sadness and low moods in a colorful way.

Why do we use idioms in English?

We use idioms to make our language more expressive, creative, and interesting. They allow us to paint a picture with words instead of just stating simple facts.

How can I remember these idioms easily?

You can remember idioms by practicing them in daily conversations and writing your own funny sentences with them. Drawing pictures of what the literal words mean can also help you recall them.

Are idioms used in everyday spoken English?

Yes, native English speakers use idioms all the time in casual conversations, movies, books, and music. Learning them helps you understand what people mean when they talk or write.

Can I use these idioms in school writing?

You can use idioms in creative writing stories, journal entries, and speeches to make your writing stand out. Just remember to use formal language for serious reports and science papers.