Everyone feels sad sometimes. It could be from losing a friend, missing someone, or having a tough day. While feeling this way is normal, it can be hard to explain. That’s where idioms come in. Idioms are special phrases that people use to talk about feelings and situations. They don’t always mean exactly what the words say, but they help us understand things better.
This article is about idioms that describe sadness. People use these phrases to show how they feel when they are down or heartbroken. Learning these idioms can help you understand your own emotions and the feelings of others. It also helps make your writing and speaking more colorful. Now, let’s look at some idioms that people use to talk about sadness.
Idioms About Sadness
1. Down in the dumps
Meaning: Feeling very sad
Example Sentence:
• He’s been down in the dumps since his dog ran away.
• She was down in the dumps after failing the test.
Other ways to say: Feeling blue, feeling low
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old English where “dumps” meant sadness.
Usage: Used when someone feels really unhappy.
2. Feeling blue
Meaning: Feeling sad or unhappy
Example Sentence:
• I was feeling blue after saying goodbye to my grandma.
• She feels blue on rainy days.
Other ways to say: Down in the dumps, gloomy
Fun Fact/Origin: Sailors flew blue flags when someone on board died.
Usage: Used when someone is not cheerful.
3. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Feeling sad about something that can’t be changed
Example Sentence:
• Don’t cry over spilled milk. You can try again tomorrow.
• She cried over spilled milk after dropping her ice cream.
Other ways to say: Don’t worry about it, move on
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that spilled milk can’t be put back.
Usage: Used when something small has already gone wrong.
4. Heavy heart
Meaning: Feeling very sad or full of sorrow
Example Sentence:
• With a heavy heart, he left his best friend behind.
• She walked away with a heavy heart.
Other ways to say: Full of grief, sorrowful
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to how sadness can feel like weight in your chest.
Usage: Used when someone feels very sad or emotional.
5. Tears welling up
Meaning: About to cry
Example Sentence:
• Tears welled up in his eyes when he saw the goodbye note.
• She had tears welling up after losing the game.
Other ways to say: Eyes filling with tears, about to cry
Fun Fact/Origin: “Welling” means water rising up like in a well.
Usage: Used when someone is close to crying.
6. A lump in the throat
Meaning: A feeling you get when you are about to cry
Example Sentence:
• He got a lump in his throat during the sad part of the movie.
• I had a lump in my throat when my sister moved away.
Other ways to say: Choked up, almost crying
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the feeling of your throat tightening when emotional.
Usage: Used when someone is holding back tears.
7. Broken heart
Meaning: Deep sadness, usually from losing someone you love
Example Sentence:
• She had a broken heart after her pet passed away.
• He was heartbroken when his friend moved.
Other ways to say: Heartache, deep sadness
Fun Fact/Origin: The heart is often linked to love, so breaking it means strong sadness.
Usage: Used when someone is deeply sad from loss.
8. Drown in sorrow
Meaning: To feel very overwhelmed by sadness
Example Sentence:
• He drowned in sorrow after the team lost the championship.
• She seemed to be drowning in sorrow for days.
Other ways to say: Overcome by grief, very sad
Fun Fact/Origin: Compares sadness to deep water.
Usage: Used when someone feels like the sadness is too much.
9. A sad sight
Meaning: Something that looks upsetting
Example Sentence:
• The broken toy was a sad sight for the little boy.
• It was a sad sight to see the empty playground.
Other ways to say: Unhappy scene, depressing view
Fun Fact/Origin: “Sight” means something seen, so a sad sight makes you feel sorrow.
Usage: Used to describe something that looks heartbreaking.
10. Cry one’s eyes out
Meaning: To cry a lot
Example Sentence:
• She cried her eyes out when her cat ran away.
• He cried his eyes out after the movie.
Other ways to say: Sob, bawl
Fun Fact/Origin: Used to show someone crying so much it feels like their eyes will fall out.
Usage: Used when someone is crying a lot from sadness.
11. Fall apart
Meaning: To become very upset or emotional
Example Sentence:
• She fell apart when she heard the bad news.
• He fell apart after his best friend moved away.
Other ways to say: Break down, lose control
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of something breaking into pieces.
Usage: Used when someone becomes very emotional or upset.
12. Downhearted
Meaning: Feeling low or discouraged
Example Sentence:
• He was downhearted after not making the team.
• She felt downhearted when she didn’t win the prize.
Other ways to say: Discouraged, sad
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “heart” is often linked to feelings, so “downhearted” means low feelings.
Usage: Used when someone feels disappointed.
13. In low spirits
Meaning: Not feeling happy
Example Sentence:
• He was in low spirits after his dog got sick.
• She was in low spirits all weekend.
Other ways to say: Feeling down, gloomy
Fun Fact/Origin: “Spirits” means mood or energy, so low spirits means low mood.
Usage: Used when someone is feeling gloomy.
14. Cry a river
Meaning: To cry a lot
Example Sentence:
• She cried a river after watching the sad movie.
• He cried a river when he lost his toy.
Other ways to say: Sob, bawl
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests crying so much it could fill a river.
Usage: Used when someone cries heavily.
15. Feel sorry for oneself
Meaning: Feeling sad and helpless
Example Sentence:
• He sat alone, feeling sorry for himself.
• She felt sorry for herself after the argument.
Other ways to say: Self-pity, feeling down
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase means thinking about your sadness too much.
Usage: Used when someone feels sad and upset about their situation.
16. Heart sinks
Meaning: Suddenly feeling sad or disappointed
Example Sentence:
• Her heart sank when she saw the test score.
• His heart sank when the game was canceled.
Other ways to say: Felt crushed, lost hope
Fun Fact/Origin: A sinking heart shows a drop in happiness.
Usage: Used when someone quickly feels upset.
17. Gloom and doom
Meaning: Always expecting something bad
Example Sentence:
• He spoke with gloom and doom about the future.
• The news was full of gloom and doom.
Other ways to say: Bad mood, always negative
Fun Fact/Origin: Rhymes to show constant sadness or worry.
Usage: Used to describe a very sad or negative feeling.
18. Have the blues
Meaning: Feeling sad for no big reason
Example Sentence:
• I have the blues today for no reason.
• She had the blues all weekend.
Other ways to say: Sad, down
Fun Fact/Origin: “Blues” comes from sad music.
Usage: Used when someone feels a little sad.
19. In a funk
Meaning: In a bad or sad mood
Example Sentence:
• He’s been in a funk since school started.
• She’s in a funk and doesn’t want to talk.
Other ways to say: Moody, upset
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a word meaning bad smell, like a bad mood.
Usage: Used when someone is not feeling happy or excited.
20. It broke my heart
Meaning: Made me feel very sad
Example Sentence:
• It broke my heart to see her cry.
• His story broke my heart.
Other ways to say: Hurt deeply, made me cry
Fun Fact/Origin: The heart is seen as the center of feelings.
Usage: Used when something causes deep sadness.
21. Let down
Meaning: To feel sad because of disappointment
Example Sentence:
• I felt let down when she forgot my birthday.
• He let me down by not showing up.
Other ways to say: Disappointed, hurt
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests being dropped from high hopes.
Usage: Used when someone or something fails your hopes.
22. Hit rock bottom
Meaning: To feel your very worst
Example Sentence:
• He hit rock bottom after losing his job.
• She felt like she hit rock bottom when her dog passed away.
Other ways to say: At the lowest point, very down
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from mining, meaning you’ve gone as low as possible.
Usage: Used when someone is at their saddest or worst.
23. Shed tears
Meaning: To cry
Example Sentence:
• She shed tears after saying goodbye.
• He shed tears at the end of the movie.
Other ways to say: Cry, weep
Fun Fact/Origin: “Shed” means to let something fall, like tears.
Usage: Used when someone is crying.
24. Take it hard
Meaning: To feel something strongly, usually bad news
Example Sentence:
• He took the loss really hard.
• She took the bad grade hard.
Other ways to say: Struggled with, deeply upset
Fun Fact/Origin: Means letting something affect you deeply.
Usage: Used when someone reacts very sadly.
25. All choked up
Meaning: So emotional it’s hard to talk
Example Sentence:
• I got all choked up during her speech.
• He was all choked up at the wedding.
Other ways to say: Tearful, emotional
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how your throat feels tight when sad.
Usage: Used when feelings stop someone from speaking.
26. Rain on someone’s parade
Meaning: To spoil someone’s good mood
Example Sentence:
• I didn’t mean to rain on your parade, but we can’t go.
• The bad news really rained on her parade.
Other ways to say: Ruin the fun, bring down the mood
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of rain ruining a real parade.
Usage: Used when something makes a happy moment sad.
27. Wear a long face
Meaning: To look sad
Example Sentence:
• He came in wearing a long face.
• She wore a long face after the test.
Other ways to say: Look down, look upset
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the look of a droopy or stretched face when sad.
Usage: Used when someone shows sadness by their expression.
28. Have a meltdown
Meaning: To get very upset suddenly
Example Sentence:
• He had a meltdown after losing his toy.
• She had a meltdown over her missing homework.
Other ways to say: Break down, lose it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from machines overheating and breaking.
Usage: Used when someone can’t handle their feelings anymore.
29. In a dark place
Meaning: Feeling deeply sad or hopeless
Example Sentence:
• He was in a dark place after his grandpa passed away.
• She went through a dark place during winter.
Other ways to say: Feeling lost, feeling very low
Fun Fact/Origin: Darkness is often used to show sadness or fear.
Usage: Used when someone is going through very hard times.
30. Break down in tears
Meaning: To start crying suddenly
Example Sentence:
• She broke down in tears after the speech.
• He broke down in tears when his team lost.
Other ways to say: Cry hard, burst into tears
Fun Fact/Origin: “Break down” means to lose control, like a machine stopping.
Usage: Used when someone suddenly starts crying.
31. Hit you like a ton of bricks
Meaning: To feel very sad or shocked all at once
Example Sentence:
• The news hit me like a ton of bricks.
• Her words hit him like a ton of bricks.
Other ways to say: Shock, sudden sadness
Fun Fact/Origin: Imagine bricks falling all at once—heavy and painful.
Usage: Used when something sad comes suddenly.
32. Sink into sadness
Meaning: To slowly start feeling very sad
Example Sentence:
• He sank into sadness after losing his pet.
• She sank into sadness during the lonely holiday.
Other ways to say: Fall into sadness, feel low
Fun Fact/Origin: Sinking shows slow movement downward—like a mood dropping.
Usage: Used when sadness grows over time.
33. A sad state of affairs
Meaning: A situation that is very upsetting
Example Sentence:
• It’s a sad state of affairs when kids go hungry.
• The messy yard was a sad state of affairs.
Other ways to say: Bad situation, unhappy time
Fun Fact/Origin: “Affairs” here means events or conditions.
Usage: Used when something is upsetting or disappointing.
34. Fall into despair
Meaning: To lose all hope and feel very sad
Example Sentence:
• She fell into despair after the storm ruined her home.
• He fell into despair after the loss.
Other ways to say: Lose hope, become very sad
Fun Fact/Origin: “Despair” means no hope at all.
Usage: Used when someone feels like giving up.
35. Cast a shadow over
Meaning: To make something less happy
Example Sentence:
• The bad news cast a shadow over the party.
• Her words cast a shadow over our fun day.
Other ways to say: Spoil the moment, make it sad
Fun Fact/Origin: A shadow blocks the sun, like sadness blocks joy.
Usage: Used when something makes a happy time feel sad.
36. Knock the wind out of your sails
Meaning: To feel shocked or sad after something unexpected
Example Sentence:
• The bad grade knocked the wind out of his sails.
• The loss knocked the wind out of her sails.
Other ways to say: Disappointed, upset
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sailing—when wind stops, the boat can’t move.
Usage: Used when someone feels suddenly stopped or sad.
37. Look like you lost your best friend
Meaning: To look really sad
Example Sentence:
• He looked like he lost his best friend after the game.
• She looked like she lost her best friend when it rained.
Other ways to say: Very sad, upset
Fun Fact/Origin: Losing a close friend is a big sadness—used even for small things.
Usage: Used when someone looks very unhappy.
38. All cried out
Meaning: To have no tears left from crying so much
Example Sentence:
• She was all cried out after the sad goodbye.
• He felt all cried out by bedtime.
Other ways to say: Exhausted from crying, no more tears
Fun Fact/Origin: Means you’ve cried so much, there’s nothing left.
Usage: Used when someone has cried a lot and feels empty.
39. Sad as a rainy day
Meaning: Very sad
Example Sentence:
• He felt as sad as a rainy day when she left.
• That movie made me as sad as a rainy day.
Other ways to say: Gloomy, down
Fun Fact/Origin: Rainy days are often linked to low moods.
Usage: Used to describe a strong sad feeling.
40. A heart full of sorrow
Meaning: Feeling deeply sad
Example Sentence:
• She had a heart full of sorrow after the news.
• His heart was full of sorrow on the last day of school.
Other ways to say: Very sad heart, full of grief
Fun Fact/Origin: The heart is often used to describe emotions.
Usage: Used when someone feels deep emotional pain.
41. Hang your head
Meaning: To look down in sadness or shame
Example Sentence:
• He hung his head when he lost the race.
• She hung her head after the mistake.
Other ways to say: Look down, show sadness
Fun Fact/Origin: Looking down is a common way to show sadness.
Usage: Used when someone is sad or embarrassed.
42. Heartache
Meaning: Emotional pain from sadness
Example Sentence:
• She felt heartache after losing her pet.
• He couldn’t stop the heartache after the goodbye.
Other ways to say: Hurt feelings, sorrow
Fun Fact/Origin: Means the heart is hurting from emotions, not a real pain.
Usage: Used when someone feels sad from emotional reasons.
43. All hope lost
Meaning: To feel like things can’t get better
Example Sentence:
• He felt like all hope was lost after the storm.
• She gave up, thinking all hope was lost.
Other ways to say: Hopeless, gave up
Fun Fact/Origin: Losing hope is one of the hardest feelings.
Usage: Used when someone feels things won’t improve.
44. Tears streaming down
Meaning: Crying a lot
Example Sentence:
• Tears streamed down her face during the sad story.
• His tears streamed down after the game.
Other ways to say: Crying hard, wet face
Fun Fact/Origin: “Streaming” means flowing like water.
Usage: Used when someone is crying hard.
45. Heart isn’t in it
Meaning: Feeling too sad to care or try
Example Sentence:
• He played, but his heart wasn’t in it.
• She helped, but her heart wasn’t in it.
Other ways to say: Not trying, not interested
Fun Fact/Origin: The heart is seen as the place where effort comes from.
Usage: Used when someone is too sad to focus or care.
Quiz: Idioms About Sadness
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) Very tired
B) Very happy
C) Very sad
2. If someone “cried a river,” what happened?
A) They told a funny story
B) They cried a lot
C) They went swimming
3. What does “heart sinks” mean?
A) You feel excited
B) You feel surprised
C) You suddenly feel sad or disappointed
4. When someone is “wearing a long face,” how do they feel?
A) Silly
B) Sad
C) Angry
5. What does it mean to “feel blue”?
A) To feel sick
B) To feel sad
C) To wear blue clothes
6. If someone is “all cried out,” what does that mean?
A) They are done crying because they have no more tears
B) They are happy again
C) They have just started crying
7. What does “cast a shadow over” something mean?
A) To make it less fun or more sad
B) To block the sun
C) To take a picture
8. What does “in a funk” mean?
A) In a dance contest
B) In a strange place
C) In a bad or sad mood
9. If someone has a “heavy heart,” how are they feeling?
A) Tired from walking
B) Very sad or full of sorrow
C) Very full from lunch
10. What does it mean to “hang your head”?
A) You are stretching
B) You are laughing
C) You feel sad or ashamed
11. If someone “cries over spilled milk,” what does it mean?
A) They are laughing
B) They are sad about something that already happened
C) They are making a milkshake
12. What does “break down in tears” mean?
A) To start crying suddenly
B) To clean up quickly
C) To tell a joke
13. If you say “his heart wasn’t in it,” what does that mean?
A) He lost something
B) He wasn’t really trying or he felt too sad
C) He forgot his heart at home
Answer Key
- C) Very sad
- B) They cried a lot
- C) You suddenly feel sad or disappointed
- B) Sad
- B) To feel sad
- A) They are done crying because they have no more tears
- A) To make it less fun or more sad
- C) In a bad or sad mood
- B) Very sad or full of sorrow
- C) You feel sad or ashamed
- B) They are sad about something that already happened
- A) To start crying suddenly
- B) He wasn’t really trying or he felt too sad
Wrapping Up
Sadness is something we all feel at times. Idioms help us describe those feelings in simple and powerful ways. From “down in the dumps” to “heart sinks,” these phrases let us share how we feel. Learning them helps us understand our own feelings and the feelings of others too. Idioms are a helpful part of everyday talk and writing.
Now you know many ways to speak about sadness. You can use them in your stories, conversations, or even when talking to friends who are feeling down.
