33 Idioms for Sadness

Sadness is a universal emotion that can be expressed in countless ways. In language, idioms often provide a creative twist on how people convey their feelings of sorrow or grief. Here are 33 idioms that describe sadness and how they can be used in conversation.

1. Down in the dumps

Meaning: Feeling very sad, unhappy, or in a low mood.
In a Sentence: Sarah has been down in the dumps ever since she heard the bad news.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling blue, in the doldrums, downhearted.

2. Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: To be upset about something that cannot be undone or fixed.
In a Sentence: There’s no point crying over spilled milk; we just need to move forward.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t dwell on the past, let it go, what’s done is done.

3. Heavy heart

Meaning: To feel a great deal of sadness or sorrow.
In a Sentence: With a heavy heart, John said goodbye to his childhood home.
Other Ways to Say: Heartbroken, filled with sorrow, feeling low.

4. Cry yourself to sleep

Meaning: To cry so much that you eventually fall asleep from exhaustion and sadness.
In a Sentence: After the argument, she cried herself to sleep, hoping to feel better in the morning.
Other Ways to Say: Weep all night, sob into the pillow, drown in tears.

5. Blue mood

Meaning: A state of sadness or melancholy.
In a Sentence: He’s been in a blue mood ever since he lost his job.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling down, gloomy, in the dumps.

6. At the end of your rope

Meaning: To be so overwhelmed with sadness or frustration that you feel like you can’t go on.
In a Sentence: After weeks of stress, she was at the end of her rope and just couldn’t handle it anymore.
Other Ways to Say: Burned out, out of steam, at your wit’s end.

7. A broken heart

Meaning: A feeling of profound sorrow, especially due to love or loss.
In a Sentence: After their breakup, she walked around with a broken heart for weeks.
Other Ways to Say: Heartache, sorrowful, devastated.

8. A tear-jerker

Meaning: Something that evokes strong emotions, particularly sadness.
In a Sentence: That movie was such a tear-jerker, I couldn’t stop crying.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional rollercoaster, heart-wrenching, sob story.

9. In a funk

Meaning: In a bad or depressed mood for a prolonged period.
In a Sentence: He’s been in a funk ever since he found out about the cancellation of his project.
Other Ways to Say: Down in the dumps, in a slump, feeling low.

10. Lament

Meaning: To express grief or sorrow openly.
In a Sentence: She lamented the loss of her childhood friend for days.
Other Ways to Say: Mourn, grieve, bewail.

11. Be in the doldrums

Meaning: To feel sluggish or depressed, often due to a lack of motivation.
In a Sentence: He’s been in the doldrums ever since his team lost the championship.
Other Ways to Say: In a slump, feeling stuck, in a rut.

12. Cry your eyes out

Meaning: To cry intensely or for a long time.
In a Sentence: She cried her eyes out after hearing the devastating news.
Other Ways to Say: Sob uncontrollably, weep bitterly, bawl your eyes out.

13. In the pits

Meaning: Feeling very down or at your lowest point.
In a Sentence: Ever since the accident, he’s been in the pits, unable to find joy.
Other Ways to Say: At rock bottom, in despair, feeling miserable.

14. Under the weather

Meaning: To feel ill or emotionally drained, often linked to sadness or melancholy.
In a Sentence: She’s been feeling a bit under the weather since the news of her grandmother’s passing.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling sick, down, off-color.

15. Walk around with a cloud over your head

Meaning: To feel constantly sad or pessimistic.
In a Sentence: Ever since the breakup, he walks around with a cloud over his head.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling gloomy, carrying a heavy burden, in a fog.

16. Downcast

Meaning: Feeling dejected or having a downhearted expression.
In a Sentence: His downcast expression made it clear that something was troubling him.
Other Ways to Say: Miserable, despondent, low-spirited.

17. Weighed down with grief

Meaning: To be overwhelmed by sadness or loss.
In a Sentence: She was weighed down with grief after hearing of her friend’s passing.
Other Ways to Say: Overcome with sorrow, burdened by loss, drowning in sadness.

18. Frown on your face

Meaning: To visibly show sadness or displeasure, often through facial expressions.
In a Sentence: He had a permanent frown on his face after hearing that his project was canceled.
Other Ways to Say: Sad expression, downturned mouth, glum face.

19. Heart in your boots

Meaning: To feel sad, discouraged, or disheartened.
In a Sentence: When she didn’t get the job, her heart sank and was in her boots.
Other Ways to Say: Downhearted, disheartened, blue.

20. Sad as a sack of potatoes

Meaning: A playful but poignant way of expressing deep sadness or melancholy.
In a Sentence: He was as sad as a sack of potatoes when he realized his plans had fallen through.
Other Ways to Say: Gloomy as a cloud, dreary, glum as can be.

21. Cry a river of sorrow

Meaning: To express deep sadness or sorrow, often through excessive crying.
In a Sentence: After hearing the news of his friend’s passing, he cried a river of sorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Weep endlessly, shed many tears, sob uncontrollably.

22. Lost in the shadows

Meaning: To feel engulfed by sadness, almost as if trapped in darkness.
In a Sentence: She seemed lost in the shadows after the breakup, unable to find her way out.
Other Ways to Say: In the depths of despair, engulfed in sadness, in a dark place.

23. Heart full of sorrow

Meaning: To experience intense emotional pain or grief.
In a Sentence: After hearing the tragic news, he walked away with a heart full of sorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Heartbroken, filled with grief, sorrow-laden.

24. On the verge of tears

Meaning: To feel as though you are about to cry due to sadness or emotional distress.
In a Sentence: She was on the verge of tears when she received the disappointing news about her application.
Other Ways to Say: About to break down, choked up, teary-eyed.

25. Bury your head in the sand

Meaning: To ignore or avoid dealing with a sad or difficult situation.
In a Sentence: Instead of facing the issue, he chose to bury his head in the sand, pretending everything was fine.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid the truth, ignore the problem, turn a blind eye.

26. As sad as a wilted flower

Meaning: Feeling drained or lifeless due to overwhelming sadness.
In a Sentence: After hearing the tragic news, she looked as sad as a wilted flower.
Other Ways to Say: As down as a dead plant, gloomy as a cloudy day, fading like a dying bloom.

27. Tears like rain

Meaning: To cry heavily or for a long period of time, similar to how rain pours down.
In a Sentence: He shed tears like rain during the emotional farewell.
Other Ways to Say: Crying rivers, sobbing uncontrollably, weeping profusely.

28. A sorrowful soul

Meaning: A person who is deeply affected by sadness or grief.
In a Sentence: She was a sorrowful soul after losing her beloved pet.
Other Ways to Say: Heartbroken person, grieving soul, melancholic.

29. Drowned in sorrow

Meaning: To be completely overwhelmed by sadness or grief.
In a Sentence: After the sudden loss, he felt like he was drowning in sorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Overcome with grief, consumed by sadness, engulfed in despair.

30. A cloud of sadness hanging over

Meaning: A feeling of sadness that lingers, affecting one’s mood.
In a Sentence: There was a cloud of sadness hanging over her after the funeral.
Other Ways to Say: A weight on your heart, a heavy feeling, a dark cloud.

31. Walking in a fog

Meaning: To feel emotionally numb or disoriented due to sadness or grief.
In a Sentence: Since the accident, he’s been walking in a fog, unable to focus on anything.
Other Ways to Say: In a daze, lost in thought, mentally drained.

32. A tearful goodbye

Meaning: To part with someone or something while feeling emotional sadness or grief.
In a Sentence: It was a tearful goodbye when she left for her new life abroad.
Other Ways to Say: Heartfelt farewell, emotional departure, sobbing goodbye.

33. Have the blues

Meaning: To feel sad, down, or melancholic, often for no specific reason.
In a Sentence: He had the blues all week after hearing the disappointing news.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling low, down in the dumps, out of sorts.

MCQs

1. What does the idiom “Down in the dumps” mean?

a) Feeling very happy
b) Feeling sad or depressed
c) Feeling confused
d) Feeling excited

Answer: b) Feeling sad or depressed

2. “Cry over spilled milk” refers to:

a) Crying about something that cannot be undone
b) Crying over spilled water
c) Crying to clean up a mess
d) Crying when something is perfectly fine

Answer: a) Crying about something that cannot be undone

3. What does it mean if someone is “Lost in the shadows”?

a) They are in a bright mood
b) They are overwhelmed by sadness or grief
c) They are hiding from others
d) They are playing in the dark

Answer: b) They are overwhelmed by sadness or grief

4. “Cry a river of sorrow” indicates:

a) Crying a lot
b) Crying for happiness
c) Crying due to laughter
d) Crying in silence

5. “Heart full of sorrow” describes someone who is:

a) Very joyful
b) Feeling intense grief or sadness
c) In love
d) Feeling carefree

Answer: b) Feeling intense grief or sadness

6. What does “On the verge of tears” mean?

a) Laughing uncontrollably
b) Almost crying
c) Smiling a lot
d) Feeling angry

Answer: b) Almost crying

7. “Feeling low” refers to:

a) Being happy
b) Being in a sad or depressed mood
c) Feeling energetic
d) Feeling confused

Answer: b) Being in a sad or depressed mood

8. What does “Walk around with a cloud over your head” mean?

a) Feeling lighthearted
b) Carrying a lot of happiness
c) Feeling consistently sad or pessimistic
d) Feeling excited

Answer: c) Feeling consistently sad or pessimistic

9. “Tears like rain” refers to:

a) Crying quietly
b) Crying continuously for a long time
c) Crying briefly
d) Crying in joy

Answer: b) Crying continuously for a long time

10. What does “Bury your head in the sand” mean?

a) To ignore or avoid a sad situation
b) To find a solution to a problem
c) To accept sadness
d) To face your emotions directly

Answer: a) To ignore or avoid a sad situation

11. “In a state of despair” means:

a) Feeling hopeful and excited
b) Feeling lost and hopeless
c) Feeling sad and joyful at the same time
d) Feeling confused but energetic

Answer: b) Feeling lost and hopeless

12. If someone has “A tearful goodbye,” they are:

a) Saying farewell with intense sadness
b) Leaving for an exciting adventure
c) Laughing while parting
d) Saying goodbye with no emotion

Answer: a) Saying farewell with intense sadness

13. What does “Walking in a fog” describe?

a) Being mentally disoriented or numb due to sadness
b) Walking through literal fog
c) Walking in a happy, clear state of mind
d) Feeling physically lost

Answer: a) Being mentally disoriented or numb due to sadness

14. “A cloud of sadness hanging over” means:

a) Feeling lighthearted and carefree
b) Carrying a constant sense of sadness
c) A cheerful atmosphere
d) Experiencing temporary sadness

Answer: b) Carrying a constant sense of sadness

15. The idiom “Downhearted” means:

a) Extremely happy
b) Feeling discouraged or sad
c) Feeling energetic
d) Feeling confused

Answer: b) Feeling discouraged or sad

16. “Shed a tear” means to:

a) Laugh loudly
b) Cry softly or quietly
c) Smile broadly
d) Laugh hysterically

Answer: b) Cry softly or quietly

Conclusion

Idioms are powerful tools for expressing emotions, and the idioms listed above provide various ways to convey sadness in both creative and impactful ways. Whether you are describing a fleeting moment of melancholy or a deeper sense of sorrow, these expressions offer a range of meanings that can capture the complexity of human emotions.

By incorporating these idioms into your conversations or writing, you can articulate feelings of sadness more vividly and connect with others who may share similar experiences. Understanding and using idioms effectively can enhance your communication skills, offering a nuanced way to express and understand emotions.