Idioms are special phrases where the meaning isn’t always clear just by looking at the words. One fun and interesting color used in idioms is blue. When we hear the word “blue,” it can remind us of many things. But in idioms, “blue” often stands for feelings, actions, or situations that are not exactly as they seem. These colorful sayings help us talk about complex feelings in a simpler way.
In this article, we will explore some popular idioms that use the color “blue.” We’ll see how these idioms can describe emotions like sadness, excitement, and surprise. By learning these idioms, you’ll be able to express feelings and ideas in a fun and creative way.
Idioms for Blue
1. Feeling blue
Meaning: Feeling sad or unhappy.
To Provide an Example: After losing his toy, Mark felt blue.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling down or gloomy.
2. Blue in the face
Meaning: Trying very hard to do something but not succeeding.
To Provide an Example: She argued with her brother until she was blue in the face, but he didn’t listen.
Alternative Meaning: Being very tired from trying.
3. Out of the blue
Meaning: Something happening suddenly or unexpectedly.
To Provide an Example: The phone rang out of the blue, and it was my best friend.
Alternative Meaning: Something surprising or unplanned.
4. Blue blood
Meaning: Coming from a rich or noble family.
To Provide an Example: The king’s family had blue blood.
Alternative Meaning: Belonging to an important family.
5. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
To Provide an Example: We go to the zoo once in a blue moon.
Alternative Meaning: Very unusual or rare.
6. Feeling as blue as a blueberry
Meaning: Feeling very sad.
To Provide an Example: After her dog ran away, she felt as blue as a blueberry.
Alternative Meaning: Being really sad or upset.
7. Blue sky thinking
Meaning: Thinking of new, creative ideas.
To Provide an Example: When we worked on the project, we did some blue sky thinking to come up with fun ideas.
Alternative Meaning: Thinking outside the box or being very imaginative.
8. A bolt from the blue
Meaning: A sudden surprise or shock.
To Provide an Example: The news of the surprise party was a bolt from the blue!
Alternative Meaning: An unexpected event.
9. Feeling like a bluebird
Meaning: Feeling happy and free.
To Provide an Example: When I got my new bike, I felt like a bluebird soaring in the sky.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling joyful and lighthearted.
10. Blue as the sky
Meaning: Very clear or bright, often used to describe the sky or water.
To Provide an Example: The ocean was as blue as the sky today.
Alternative Meaning: Very bright or clear blue.
11. Sing the blues
Meaning: To express sadness or unhappiness.
To Provide an Example: He sang the blues after his team lost the game.
Alternative Meaning: Talking about your sadness.
12. True blue
Meaning: Loyal and trustworthy.
To Provide an Example: She’s a true blue friend who will always help you.
Alternative Meaning: Being loyal or faithful.
13. Blue ribbon
Meaning: The best or most special.
To Provide an Example: She won the blue ribbon at the school art show.
Alternative Meaning: The highest award or prize.
14. Blue light special
Meaning: A great deal or discount.
To Provide an Example: The store had a blue light special on toys today.
Alternative Meaning: A special sale or offer.
15. Out of the blue sky
Meaning: Something happening without warning.
To Provide an Example: The cake appeared out of the blue sky for my birthday.
Alternative Meaning: Unexpectedly or suddenly.
16. Blue in the face
Meaning: Doing something for a long time without success.
To Provide an Example: She tried to teach her dog tricks, but she argued blue in the face.
Alternative Meaning: Tired or exhausted from trying.
17. A blue moon
Meaning: Something very rare.
To Provide an Example: I only get to see my cousin on a blue moon because she lives far away.
Alternative Meaning: A rare occurrence.
18. Cry the blues
Meaning: To complain about things.
To Provide an Example: He always cries the blues about his homework.
Alternative Meaning: To complain or be upset about something.
19. Blue-eyed boy/girl
Meaning: Someone who is favored or special to someone.
To Provide an Example: Sarah is the teacher’s blue-eyed girl in the class.
Alternative Meaning: Someone liked a lot by someone else.
20. The blue yonder
Meaning: The distant future or the sky.
To Provide an Example: We looked up at the blue yonder and dreamed of flying.
Alternative Meaning: A faraway place or future.
21. Blue-nosed
Meaning: Someone who is very formal or proper.
To Provide an Example: The teacher was very blue-nosed at the ceremony.
Alternative Meaning: Someone who behaves strictly.
22. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
To Provide an Example: We visit Grandma once in a blue moon.
Alternative Meaning: A rare event.
23. Blue as a whale
Meaning: Extremely sad.
To Provide an Example: She felt as blue as a whale after losing her favorite toy.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling very sad or low.
24. Blue-eyed and innocent
Meaning: Someone who seems pure or harmless.
To Provide an Example: The little girl looked blue-eyed and innocent while eating her cookie.
Alternative Meaning: Appearing sweet or pure.
25. To be in the blue
Meaning: To feel sad or depressed.
To Provide an Example: After the storm, Tim felt in the blue.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling down or not happy.
26. A blue moon
Meaning: A rare event.
To Provide an Example: I find blue moons like this very exciting and surprising.
Alternative Meaning: Something that doesn’t happen often.
27. In a blue funk
Meaning: Feeling upset or gloomy.
To Provide an Example: He was in a blue funk after his favorite team lost.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling down or upset.
28. Blue sky thinking
Meaning: Creative thinking or ideas without limits.
To Provide an Example: Let’s do some blue sky thinking to create a fun game.
Alternative Meaning: Thinking of new, big ideas.
29. Blue-chip
Meaning: Very valuable or successful.
To Provide an Example: She bought a blue-chip toy that was top-rated.
Alternative Meaning: Something or someone very valuable or great.
30. The blue edge
Meaning: The limit or the farthest point.
To Provide an Example: The blue edge of the ocean was so far that we couldn’t see the end.
Alternative Meaning: The farthest point of something.
31. In the blue
Meaning: Something happening unexpectedly.
To Provide an Example: His invitation came in the blue, and it made him smile.
Alternative Meaning: A sudden surprise or unplanned event.
32. Blue moons and rainbows
Meaning: Something magical or rare.
To Provide an Example: She hoped for blue moons and rainbows to make her day perfect.
Alternative Meaning: Rare and wonderful moments.
33. Blue-tinted glasses
Meaning: Seeing things in a sad or negative way.
To Provide an Example: He always looked at things through blue-tinted glasses, never seeing the bright side.
Alternative Meaning: Thinking negatively.
34. Feeling blue as a cloud
Meaning: Feeling deeply sad.
To Provide an Example: After hearing the sad news, I felt blue as a cloud.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling very down.
35. Blue-eyed look
Meaning: A gaze that is trusting or innocent.
To Provide an Example: She gave me a blue-eyed look when asking for help.
Alternative Meaning: A kind, innocent look.
36. Out of the blue sky
Meaning: A sudden surprise.
To Provide an Example: The surprise party popped up out of the blue sky.
Alternative Meaning: An unexpected event.
37. A blue day
Meaning: A day filled with sadness.
To Provide an Example: After the rainy weekend, we had a blue day at school.
Alternative Meaning: A sad or dreary day.
38. In the blue light
Meaning: Something that happens unexpectedly.
To Provide an Example: The blue light flashed on the phone in the middle of the night.
Alternative Meaning: An unexpected moment.
39. Blue skies ahead
Meaning: A bright and hopeful future.
To Provide an Example: After finishing school, I can see blue skies ahead for my future.
Alternative Meaning: A positive and hopeful outlook.
40. Feeling blue around the edges
Meaning: Feeling a little sad or worn out.
To Provide an Example: After the long week, I was feeling blue around the edges.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling a bit down.
41. Blue waters
Meaning: Something peaceful or calm.
To Provide an Example: The beach had blue waters that made me feel relaxed.
Alternative Meaning: Calm and clear surroundings.
42. Blue flames of passion
Meaning: Intense energy or excitement.
To Provide an Example: Her blue flames of passion for art made her work hard every day.
Alternative Meaning: Strong feelings of enthusiasm.
43. The sky’s the limit (like a blue sky)
Meaning: There’s no limit to what can be done.
To Provide an Example: With so many ideas, the sky’s the limit, just like a blue sky!
Alternative Meaning: No boundaries, anything is possible.
44. Like a bluebird of happiness
Meaning: Feeling joyful and carefree.
To Provide an Example: After getting the good news, I felt like a bluebird of happiness.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling cheerful and light.
45. Seeing the world through blue eyes
Meaning: To look at things from a sad perspective.
To Provide an Example: He was always seeing the world through blue eyes, never looking for good things.
Alternative Meaning: A sad or negative view.
46. As blue as the ocean
Meaning: Very sad or deep in emotion.
To Provide an Example: She felt as blue as the ocean when her pet fish passed away.
Alternative Meaning: Extremely sad.
47. As blue as a navy suit
Meaning: Very serious or formal.
To Provide an Example: He looked as blue as a navy suit at the meeting.
Alternative Meaning: Very formal or professional.
48. Blue in the dark
Meaning: Feeling lost or confused.
To Provide an Example: She was blue in the dark, unsure what to do next.
Alternative Meaning: Feeling uncertain or lost.
49. A blue lake
Meaning: Something calm and serene.
To Provide an Example: The quiet morning by the blue lake was peaceful.
Alternative Meaning: A peaceful, calm moment.
50. Blue sky ahead
Meaning: A clear, happy future.
To Provide an Example: After graduation, he saw blue skies ahead for his career.
Alternative Meaning: A bright and promising future.
Trials for Success: Idioms for Blue
- After losing his favorite toy, Tim felt ______.
- The surprise gift came to me ______, and it made me so happy.
- It was hard to agree, but my sister and I finally got ______ about the rules.
- We argued for hours, but I talked ______, trying to convince her to listen.
- The teacher said we had to finish the project quickly, so we decided to ______ and help each other.
- When I lost my pencil, my friend was a ______ to lean on, giving me one of hers.
- We went on a trip to the zoo, and everything happened ______.
- After the storm, I could see ______ skies ahead, and I felt better.
- Jane was so sad that she felt ______ like a blueberry.
- The team worked together, and everything went ______.
- I looked out the window, and I saw the beautiful ______ of the sky.
- When I lost my homework, I was really feeling ______ in the face because I couldn’t find it anywhere.
- The good news came ______, and it made everyone smile.
- The party was so fun, it was like a ______ from the blue sky.
- I got to know my new classmate, and we really ______ over our love for soccer.
Answer Key
- blue
- out of the blue
- on the same page
- blue in the face
- join forces
- shoulder
- out of the blue
- blue
- blue
- like clockwork
- blue
- blue
- out of the blue
- bolt from the blue
- bonded
Conclusion
Idioms using the color “blue” help us express feelings and experiences in unique ways. Whether we’re feeling sad, surprised, or excited, these idioms give us a simple way to share our emotions. By learning these phrases, we can better understand how others feel and communicate our own thoughts more clearly.
Next time you’re feeling blue or experience something out of the blue, remember these fun idioms to describe your feelings. They help us connect with one another and make our conversations more interesting and colorful!
