“Down in the dumps” means unhappy, low-spirited, or dejected. It is an informal idiom for someone’s mood and should not be treated as a clinical diagnosis.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
“Down in the dumps” means feeling unhappy, low, or dejected.
Key details
Canonical Formdown in the dumps
Core Meaningunhappy or low-spirited
Further guidance
Meaning
unhappy, low-spirited, or dejected
Usage Boundary
Use it as an informal description of mood; it is not a medical or diagnostic term.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
A “breath of fresh air” describes someone or something that feels new and different and makes a situation more exciting. The guide stays with current documented meaning rather than unsupported origin chronology.
A “change of heart” means changing your opinion or feelings about something. The guide establishes the present-day idiom and does not invent an exact coinage or first-use account.
“A fish out of water” describes someone who feels awkward, uncomfortable, or out of place because the situation is unfamiliar or they do not fit the surrounding group.
“As cool as a cucumber” describes striking calmness or composure. The guide stays with the documented modern meaning and does not invent an exact inventor or first-use story.
“As fit as a fiddle” means very healthy and physically strong. The guide stays with documented present-day meaning and does not invent an exact origin or first-use story.
“As right as rain” means healthy or well again, often after illness or another temporary problem. The guide stays with documented present-day meaning and does not invent an exact origin or first-use story.
“Blow off steam” describes releasing pent-up feelings or energy through some action or expression. The guide publishes the current documented idiom without making unsupported claims about its exact origin.
Figuratively, “boiling point” is the stage at which anger or tension is close to becoming uncontrollable. The term also has a literal scientific meaning for the temperature at which a liquid boils; context determines whether the figurative or physical sense is intended.
