Feeling sad is a common experience that touches us all. From being down in the dumps to crying a river, sadness manifests in various ways. This article explores 30 idioms that express deep sadness and sorrow.
I’ll cover idioms for feeling sad, enduring a sad life, describing a sad person, and capturing the emotions of a sad girl or a sad mood. We’ll also look at idioms that mix sadness and happiness, and those that highlight the act of crying.
Each idiom comes with a brief meaning and a short example, making it easy to understand and relate to. Let’s delve into these expressions and understand the depth of human emotions.
List of 30 idioms for sad
- Down in the dumps
- Feeling blue
- Heavy heart
- Tears rolling down
- Broken heart
- Weeping willow
- Hard knock life
- Life’s a misery
- Walking through the storm
- Life in shambles
- Crying eyes out
- Heart in pieces
- Soul-crushed
- Tearful eyes
- Crying a river
- Heartbroken girl
- Lost in sorrow
- Tear-stained face
- Bittersweet memories
- Tears of joy and sorrow
- Mixed feelings
- Happy tears
- Cry a river
- Sobbing heart out
- Weep bitterly
- Cry oneself to sleep
Idioms for Feeling Sad
Down in the dumps
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: I’ve been down in the dumps since my friend moved away.
Feeling blue
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: She’s been feeling blue since she lost her job.
Heavy heart
Meaning: Deep sadness.
Example: With a heavy heart, he said goodbye to his family.
Tears rolling down
Meaning: Crying.
Example: Tears rolled down as she read the sad letter.
Broken heart
Meaning: Deep emotional pain.
Example: He had a broken heart after the breakup.
Weeping willow
Meaning: Always sad.
Example: She’s a weeping willow since her cat died.
Idioms for Sad Life
Hard knock life
Meaning: Tough life.
Example: Growing up in poverty, he had a hard knock life.
Life’s a misery
Meaning: Life full of sadness.
Example: For her, life’s a misery after her husband passed.
Walking through the storm
Meaning: Enduring tough times.
Example: He’s been walking through the storm since he lost his job.
Life in shambles
Meaning: Life is in ruins.
Example: After the accident, his life was in shambles.
Idioms for Sad Person
Crying eyes out
Meaning: Crying a lot.
Example: She was crying her eyes out after the sad news.
Heart in pieces
Meaning: Deeply hurt.
Example: His heart was in pieces after the divorce.
Soul-crushed
Meaning: Deeply depressed.
Example: The failure left him soul-crushed.
Tearful eyes
Meaning: Crying.
Example: Her tearful eyes showed her sadness.
Idioms for Sad Girl
Crying a river
Meaning: Crying a lot.
Example: She was crying a river after the breakup.
Heartbroken girl
Meaning: Very sad girl.
Example: She was a heartbroken girl after losing her pet.
Lost in sorrow
Meaning: Deeply sad.
Example: The girl was lost in sorrow after her friend moved away.
Tear-stained face
Meaning: Crying a lot.
Example: The girl’s tear-stained face revealed her sadness.
Idioms for Sad Mood
Mope around
Meaning: Move sadly.
Example: He moped around after hearing the bad news.
Cast down
Meaning: Feeling sad.
Example: She felt cast down after the disappointment.
Downcast eyes
Meaning: Sad expression.
Example: His downcast eyes showed his sadness.
Under a cloud
Meaning: In a sad mood.
Example: She’s been under a cloud since the breakup.
Idioms for Sad and Happy
Bittersweet memories
Meaning: Happy and sad.
Example: The old photos brought bittersweet memories.
Tears of joy and sorrow
Meaning: Mixed emotions.
Example: She had tears of joy and sorrow at the graduation.
Mixed feelings
Meaning: Conflicting emotions.
Example: He had mixed feelings about leaving home.
Happy tears
Meaning: Crying when happy.
Example: She had happy tears at her wedding.
Idioms for Sad and Cry
Cry a river
Meaning: Cry a lot.
Example: He cried a river after the tragic event.
Sobbing heart out
Meaning: Crying deeply.
Example: She was sobbing her heart out at the funeral.
Weep bitterly
Meaning: Cry intensely.
Example: He wept bitterly when he heard the news.
Cry oneself to sleep
Meaning: Cry until sleep.
Example: She cried herself to sleep after the breakup.
What does the idiom “down in the dumps” mean?
“Down in the dumps” means feeling sad or depressed. For example, I felt down in the dumps when my friend moved away.
How can idioms help in expressing emotions?
Idioms provide vivid imagery and context to express emotions, making it easier to convey feelings like sadness. For instance, saying “crying a river” vividly describes intense crying.
Are there idioms that mix both sad and happy emotions?
Yes, idioms like “bittersweet memories” and “tears of joy and sorrow” capture the complexity of feeling both happiness and sadness simultaneously.
Conclusion
In this article, I explain 30 idioms that vividly express various shades of sadness. From feeling blue to crying a river, these idioms encapsulate the deep emotions we all encounter. Understanding these expressions helps us articulate our feelings more effectively. I hope these idioms resonate with you and offer a way to express your own experiences of sadness.
