Depression is a heavy feeling that can make people feel sad, tired, or alone. It isn’t always easy to explain how it feels. Sometimes, people use idioms to talk about depression. Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say but help describe something in a creative way.
Using idioms can help people understand emotions better. For example, if someone says “in a dark place,” they don’t mean they’re really sitting in the dark. It means they feel very low or unhappy. In this article, we will explore idioms about depression. These phrases are common in everyday talk and can help us share how we feel in a way others can understand. Let’s look at these idioms and learn what they mean.
Idioms About Depression
1. In a dark place
Meaning: Feeling very sad or hopeless
Example Sentence:
– After losing his pet, Jake felt like he was in a dark place.
– She was in a dark place after her parents’ divorce.
Other ways to say: Feeling low, down in the dumps
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that sadness feels like being stuck where there’s no light.
Usage: Used when someone is deeply sad.
2. Down in the dumps
Meaning: Feeling sad or upset
Example Sentence:
– Sarah was down in the dumps after getting a bad grade.
– He’s been down in the dumps since his team lost.
Other ways to say: Feeling blue, feeling low
Fun Fact/Origin: “Dumps” used to mean sadness in old English.
Usage: Used for moments of feeling down.
3. Feeling blue
Meaning: Feeling sad or unhappy
Example Sentence:
– I’ve been feeling blue all day without knowing why.
– She felt blue when her best friend moved away.
Other ways to say: Down in the dumps, sad
Fun Fact/Origin: Sailors would raise blue flags when someone died at sea.
Usage: Used for mild sadness.
4. In a funk
Meaning: Feeling sad or not in a good mood
Example Sentence:
– He’s been in a funk since school started again.
– I couldn’t cheer her up—she was stuck in a funk.
Other ways to say: In a slump, down
Fun Fact/Origin: “Funk” used to mean a bad smell, then became a word for a bad mood.
Usage: Used when someone is stuck in a sad mood.
5. Crying over spilled milk
Meaning: Feeling sad about something that already happened and can’t be changed
Example Sentence:
– Stop crying over spilled milk—it was just a game.
– She felt bad, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Other ways to say: Let it go, don’t dwell on it
Fun Fact/Origin: Spilled milk can’t be put back, just like past mistakes.
Usage: Used when someone feels sad over something they can’t fix.
6. At the end of my rope
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t handle any more stress or sadness
Example Sentence:
– After so many hard days, I was at the end of my rope.
– He felt at the end of his rope trying to keep up with school.
Other ways to say: About to give up, fed up
Fun Fact/Origin: If you’re at the end of a rope, you can’t go further.
Usage: Used when someone feels overwhelmed.
7. Black dog on my back
Meaning: Feeling followed by sadness
Example Sentence:
– Depression felt like a black dog on my back all week.
– He said the black dog was with him again.
Other ways to say: Feeling low, shadowed by sadness
Fun Fact/Origin: Winston Churchill used “black dog” to describe his depression.
Usage: Used when sadness feels constant.
8. Face like a wet weekend
Meaning: Looking very sad or gloomy
Example Sentence:
– He came in with a face like a wet weekend.
– She looked like a wet weekend after the test.
Other ways to say: Looking down, gloomy face
Fun Fact/Origin: Wet weekends are dull and boring, just like sad moods.
Usage: Used to describe how someone looks when sad.
9. Heart isn’t in it
Meaning: Feeling too sad or tired to care
Example Sentence:
– She tried to play, but her heart wasn’t in it.
– His heart wasn’t in his homework after the fight.
Other ways to say: Not interested, not feeling up to it
Fun Fact/Origin: If your heart isn’t in something, it means you’re not emotionally present.
Usage: Used when someone seems sad and not focused.
10. A shoulder to cry on
Meaning: Someone to talk to when you feel sad
Example Sentence:
– I needed a shoulder to cry on after my dog passed away.
– She gave him a shoulder to cry on after the bad news.
Other ways to say: A friend who listens, someone who cares
Fun Fact/Origin: People often lean on others when they cry.
Usage: Used when someone offers comfort.
11. The weight of the world on your shoulders
Meaning: Feeling like everything is too much
Example Sentence:
– He acted like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
– I feel like I’m carrying the weight of the world.
Other ways to say: Feeling heavy, overwhelmed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the Greek story of Atlas who held up the sky.
Usage: Used when someone feels pressure and sadness.
12. Dragging your feet
Meaning: Moving slowly because you feel down
Example Sentence:
– She was dragging her feet all morning after the bad dream.
– He dragged his feet going to school.
Other ways to say: Not feeling up to it, slow and sad
Fun Fact/Origin: When sad, people often move slower.
Usage: Used when someone lacks energy due to sadness.
13. Feel like crawling into a hole
Meaning: Wanting to hide when sad or embarrassed
Example Sentence:
– I felt like crawling into a hole after the mistake.
– She wanted to hide after the argument.
Other ways to say: Want to disappear, feel ashamed
Fun Fact/Origin: Small animals hide in holes when scared.
Usage: Used when someone feels low or embarrassed.
14. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or sad
Example Sentence:
– I’m a little under the weather today.
– She stayed home because she felt under the weather.
Other ways to say: Not feeling well, down
Fun Fact/Origin: Old sailing term when sailors felt bad during storms.
Usage: Used for both illness and sadness.
15. Feeling low
Meaning: Feeling sad
Example Sentence:
– He was feeling low after missing the party.
– I feel low today.
Other ways to say: Down, unhappy
Fun Fact/Origin: Low means not high—like your mood is lower than usual.
Usage: Used to describe simple sadness.
16. In the pits
Meaning: Feeling really bad
Example Sentence:
– After losing the game, I was in the pits.
– She felt like she was in the pits all weekend.
Other ways to say: At your worst, in a bad place
Fun Fact/Origin: Pits are deep and dark—like a bad mood.
Usage: Used for tough emotional times.
17. Hit rock bottom
Meaning: Feeling as bad as you can feel
Example Sentence:
– After the breakup, he hit rock bottom.
– She hit rock bottom and asked for help.
Other ways to say: At your lowest, completely down
Fun Fact/Origin: Miners used to say this when they couldn’t dig deeper.
Usage: Used when someone feels totally hopeless.
18. One foot in the grave
Meaning: Feeling very tired, sad, or like giving up
Example Sentence:
– He said he felt like he had one foot in the grave after the long week.
– I was so tired, I felt like I had one foot in the grave.
Other ways to say: Worn out, drained
Fun Fact/Origin: From the idea of someone close to giving up.
Usage: Used for emotional or physical exhaustion.
19. Tears welling up
Meaning: Feeling so sad that you’re about to cry
Example Sentence:
– She had tears welling up after hearing the news.
– His eyes filled with tears after the movie.
Other ways to say: Ready to cry, emotional
Fun Fact/Origin: “Welling” means filling up, like a water well.
Usage: Used when sadness brings tears.
20. Bury your feelings
Meaning: Hiding sadness from others
Example Sentence:
– He tried to bury his feelings and smile.
– Don’t bury your feelings—talk about them.
Other ways to say: Keep it inside, hide emotions
Fun Fact/Origin: Bury means to hide something underground.
Usage: Used when someone keeps sadness inside.
21. Lost in thought
Meaning: Thinking deeply, often because of sadness
Example Sentence:
– He sat alone, lost in thought about the past.
– She was so quiet, lost in thought all morning.
Other ways to say: Daydreaming, deep in your head
Fun Fact/Origin: Being “lost” shows how your mind can wander far when sad.
Usage: Used when someone is thinking quietly, often due to emotion.
22. Break down in tears
Meaning: Start crying suddenly from sadness
Example Sentence:
– She broke down in tears after hearing the news.
– He broke down in tears when his dog got hurt.
Other ways to say: Cry hard, burst into tears
Fun Fact/Origin: “Break down” means something suddenly stops working—like emotions.
Usage: Used for strong, sudden sadness.
23. Bottle up emotions
Meaning: Hiding or holding in sad feelings
Example Sentence:
– Don’t bottle up your emotions—it’s okay to cry.
– He bottled up his sadness after the move.
Other ways to say: Keep feelings inside, stay quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: Bottles hold things in—just like people can hold in emotions.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t share their feelings.
24. Cloud hanging over me
Meaning: Feeling sad and like something is always bothering you
Example Sentence:
– There’s been a cloud hanging over me since Monday.
– He looked like he had a cloud hanging over him.
Other ways to say: Feeling weighed down, gloomy
Fun Fact/Origin: Clouds bring darkness and storms—like sad moods.
Usage: Used when sadness sticks around.
25. Cry yourself to sleep
Meaning: Crying until you fall asleep because of sadness
Example Sentence:
– She cried herself to sleep after the bad news.
– He cried himself to sleep missing his family.
Other ways to say: Weep at night, sleep sad
Fun Fact/Origin: People often cry quietly before falling asleep.
Usage: Used to show deep sadness before bed.
26. Go to pieces
Meaning: Losing control from being too sad
Example Sentence:
– She went to pieces after the phone call.
– He went to pieces when his pet ran away.
Other ways to say: Fall apart, break down
Fun Fact/Origin: Like a broken object, a person can “fall apart” emotionally.
Usage: Used for strong emotional reactions.
27. Wallow in sadness
Meaning: Stay in a sad mood for a long time
Example Sentence:
– He wallowed in sadness all weekend.
– She didn’t want to wallow in sadness any longer.
Other ways to say: Stay gloomy, soak in feelings
Fun Fact/Origin: “Wallow” means to lie around in something, like mud or emotion.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t try to cheer up.
28. Have a heavy heart
Meaning: Feeling very sad inside
Example Sentence:
– I walked into school with a heavy heart.
– She gave the speech with a heavy heart.
Other ways to say: Sad inside, burdened
Fun Fact/Origin: Sadness can feel like weight inside you.
Usage: Used when someone feels sorrow deeply.
29. Not feeling like yourself
Meaning: Feeling off or unlike your usual happy self
Example Sentence:
– I haven’t been feeling like myself lately.
– He didn’t feel like himself after the fight.
Other ways to say: Out of sorts, not your usual self
Fun Fact/Origin: Feeling different from normal often means something’s wrong inside.
Usage: Used when someone is emotionally off.
30. Pulling the covers over your head
Meaning: Hiding from the world due to sadness
Example Sentence:
– I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed.
– She pulled the covers over her head after the bad day.
Other ways to say: Avoiding life, hiding out
Fun Fact/Origin: Many people use blankets to feel safe or hide.
Usage: Used when someone wants to be alone from sadness.
31. Not up for it
Meaning: Not feeling good enough to do something
Example Sentence:
– I’m not up for going out today.
– He wasn’t up for practice after the bad news.
Other ways to say: Not ready, not in the mood
Fun Fact/Origin: “Up” suggests energy—so “not up” means low energy.
Usage: Used when someone feels too low to join in.
32. Lose your spark
Meaning: Losing interest in things you once enjoyed
Example Sentence:
– She lost her spark for painting.
– He used to love games, but now he’s lost his spark.
Other ways to say: Lost interest, not excited anymore
Fun Fact/Origin: A “spark” is a bright flash—like excitement.
Usage: Used when someone doesn’t feel joy.
33. Not a ray of sunshine
Meaning: Not happy or cheerful
Example Sentence:
– He hasn’t been a ray of sunshine lately.
– She was not a ray of sunshine after the test.
Other ways to say: Gloomy, not cheerful
Fun Fact/Origin: Sunshine brings happiness, so no sunshine means no joy.
Usage: Used to describe mood.
34. Lost your smile
Meaning: Not feeling happy
Example Sentence:
– She lost her smile after the news.
– He lost his smile for days.
Other ways to say: Sad, quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: Smiles show joy—losing them means sadness.
Usage: Used when someone isn’t smiling like they used to.
35. Carrying sadness
Meaning: Feeling like sadness is with you all the time
Example Sentence:
– He looked like he was carrying sadness all week.
– I’ve been carrying sadness since the move.
Other ways to say: Holding onto sadness, burdened
Fun Fact/Origin: People say emotions can feel like something you carry.
Usage: Used when sadness won’t go away.
36. Heart sinking
Meaning: Feeling sudden sadness or disappointment
Example Sentence:
– My heart sank when I saw the test score.
– Her heart sank when the dog ran away.
Other ways to say: Felt crushed, disappointed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the feeling in your chest when bad news hits.
Usage: Used for sudden sadness.
37. A gray day
Meaning: A day that feels dull or sad
Example Sentence:
– It was a gray day, and not just because of the weather.
– Her mood matched the gray day.
Other ways to say: A gloomy day, a sad time
Fun Fact/Origin: Gray skies are linked to gloomy feelings.
Usage: Used when mood matches dull surroundings.
38. Feel like crying for no reason
Meaning: Sadness that comes without warning
Example Sentence:
– I felt like crying for no reason today.
– He sometimes feels like crying, even when nothing is wrong.
Other ways to say: Sudden sadness, mood drop
Fun Fact/Origin: Some types of sadness don’t need a clear cause.
Usage: Used when emotions come suddenly.
39. Rainy mood
Meaning: Feeling gloomy or sad
Example Sentence:
– She was in a rainy mood all morning.
– His rainy mood didn’t go away.
Other ways to say: Down, not sunny inside
Fun Fact/Origin: Rainy days often make people feel slower and sad.
Usage: Used to describe low mood.
40. Not seeing the light
Meaning: Not feeling hopeful
Example Sentence:
– I couldn’t see the light for a while.
– He’s feeling like he can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Other ways to say: No hope, feeling stuck
Fun Fact/Origin: The light at the end of the tunnel means things will get better.
Usage: Used when someone can’t feel better yet.
Quiz: Idioms About Depression
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “down in the dumps” mean?
A) Looking for something
B) Feeling really sad
C) Cleaning up a mess
2. If someone is “in a dark place,” what are they feeling?
A) Lost in the woods
B) Happy and excited
C) Very sad or hopeless
3. What does it mean to “bottle up emotions”?
A) Keep your feelings inside
B) Share your feelings
C) Spill a drink
4. If someone “has a heavy heart,” how do they feel?
A) Tired from running
B) Full of sadness
C) Ready for fun
5. What does “pulling the covers over your head” mean?
A) Hiding because of sadness
B) Playing a game
C) Going camping
6. What does it mean to “cry over spilled milk”?
A) Cry about something small that already happened
B) Clean up a mess
C) Spill your drink on purpose
7. If someone is “at the end of their rope,” what does it mean?
A) They are jumping rope
B) They feel they can’t handle more stress
C) They want to go on a swing
8. What does “lost your smile” mean?
A) You can’t remember a joke
B) You are brushing your teeth
C) You are feeling sad
9. What does it mean to “feel like crawling into a hole”?
A) You want to dig
B) You feel embarrassed or very sad
C) You are looking for treasure
10. What does “heart sinking” describe?
A) Going swimming
B) Feeling suddenly sad or disappointed
C) Eating something heavy
11. If someone “has the weight of the world on their shoulders,” how do they feel?
A) Very strong
B) Very tired from carrying things
C) Overwhelmed or very sad
12. What does “cloud hanging over me” mean?
A) It’s about to rain
B) You’re feeling followed by sadness
C) You’re looking at the sky
13. What does it mean to “go to pieces”?
A) Make a puzzle
B) Be very upset or cry hard
C) Tear paper
14. What does “not feeling like yourself” mean?
A) Feeling different or off
B) Wearing a costume
C) Looking in a mirror
15. If someone is “in a rainy mood,” how do they feel?
A) Happy
B) Angry
C) Gloomy or sad
Answer Key
- B) Feeling really sad
- C) Very sad or hopeless
- A) Keep your feelings inside
- B) Full of sadness
- A) Hiding because of sadness
- A) Cry about something small that already happened
- B) They feel they can’t handle more stress
- C) You are feeling sad
- B) You feel embarrassed or very sad
- B) Feeling suddenly sad or disappointed
- C) Overwhelmed or very sad
- B) You’re feeling followed by sadness
- B) Be very upset or cry hard
- A) Feeling different or off
- C) Gloomy or sad
Wrapping Up
Depression can feel like carrying a heavy backpack or walking through a rainy day. Idioms help people share these feelings in simple and clear ways. Whether someone says they’re “down in the dumps” or “lost their spark,” these phrases can show emotions that are hard to explain.
Now that you know many idioms about depression, try to listen for them in stories, movies, or everyday talk. You might also use them when talking about feelings. These phrases can help others understand you better. It’s okay to feel sad sometimes, and these idioms can help make those feelings easier to share.
