Sometimes people feel pain, sadness, or go through tough times. These hard moments are part of life. Instead of saying “I’m hurting” or “I feel bad,” people often use idioms to talk about suffering. Idioms are phrases that use creative words to show what a person is feeling.
For example, someone might say “I’m going through a rough patch” or “carrying a heavy heart.” These sayings help describe feelings in a way that’s easier to understand. In this article, you’ll learn 30 idioms people use to describe suffering. These phrases can help you understand what others are going through and talk about tough feelings in a kind way.
Idioms for Suffering
1. Going through a rough patch
Meaning: Having a hard time.
Samples: He’s going through a rough patch since his dog passed away. / She was in a rough patch after her parents split up.
To Put it Another Way: He’s sad right now. / Things are tough for her.
2. Down in the dumps
Meaning: Feeling very sad.
Samples: She’s been down in the dumps all week. / He was down in the dumps after losing the game.
To Put it Another Way: She feels low. / He’s not happy.
3. Carrying a heavy heart
Meaning: Feeling deep sadness.
Samples: I walked into school with a heavy heart. / She spoke with a heavy heart about her grandma.
To Put it Another Way: I was very sad. / She felt emotional.
4. Crying over spilled milk
Meaning: Feeling upset about something that can’t be changed.
Samples: Don’t cry over spilled milk it was just a small mistake. / He kept crying over spilled milk instead of moving on.
To Put it Another Way: Let it go. / Don’t stay upset over little things.
5. Hit rock bottom
Meaning: Feeling the worst you’ve ever felt.
Samples: He hit rock bottom after getting in trouble. / She hit rock bottom when she lost her best friend.
To Put it Another Way: He felt really down. / She was at her saddest.
6. In a dark place
Meaning: Feeling very sad or hopeless.
Samples: She was in a dark place after the accident. / He felt like he was in a dark place when he had no one to talk to.
To Put it Another Way: She was deeply sad. / He was feeling very low.
7. Feeling blue
Meaning: Feeling sad or moody.
Samples: He’s feeling blue today. / She was feeling blue because she missed the party.
To Put it Another Way: He’s not feeling great. / She’s kind of down.
8. In hot water
Meaning: In trouble or facing a difficult situation.
Samples: He’s in hot water for forgetting his homework again. / She got in hot water after lying.
To Put it Another Way: He’s in trouble. / She’s facing problems.
9. A slap in the face
Meaning: Something that feels like unfair hurt.
Samples: Not being invited was a slap in the face. / His comment was a slap in the face.
To Put it Another Way: It really hurt my feelings. / It felt unfair.
10. On your last nerve
Meaning: Feeling very annoyed or stressed.
Samples: He was on his last nerve with all the noise. / She’s on her last nerve with her little brother.
To Put it Another Way: He can’t take it anymore. / She’s very stressed.
11. At the end of your rope
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t handle any more stress.
Samples: She was at the end of her rope after a tough week. / He felt at the end of his rope with all the pressure.
To Put it Another Way: She felt worn out. / He couldn’t take any more.
12. Hit a nerve
Meaning: To bring up something that causes pain or upset.
Samples: Her words really hit a nerve. / That question hit a nerve with him.
To Put it Another Way: It hurt my feelings. / It upset him deeply.
13. Carry the world on your shoulders
Meaning: Feeling like you have too many problems to handle.
Samples: He carries the world on his shoulders with school and family stress. / She looked like she carried the world on her shoulders.
To Put it Another Way: He feels overwhelmed. / She seems weighed down.
14. Stuck in a rut
Meaning: Feeling trapped in a boring or sad routine.
Samples: I feel stuck in a rut doing the same thing every day. / He was stuck in a rut and couldn’t get motivated.
To Put it Another Way: Life feels dull. / He can’t break the cycle.
15. A punch to the gut
Meaning: Something that feels emotionally painful.
Samples: Hearing that news was a punch to the gut. / It felt like a punch to the gut when he lost.
To Put it Another Way: It hurt deeply. / It shocked and upset me.
16. Taking it hard
Meaning: Feeling very upset about something.
Samples: She took the bad grade hard. / He took it hard when his friend moved away.
To Put it Another Way: She got very upset. / He was deeply affected.
17. Carry emotional baggage
Meaning: Holding on to past pain or sadness.
Samples: He carries a lot of emotional baggage from last year. / She still carries emotional baggage from that time.
To Put it Another Way: He hasn’t moved on from past pain. / She still feels sad inside.
18. Knocked down
Meaning: Feeling defeated or low.
Samples: She felt knocked down by the bad news. / He was knocked down after losing the game.
To Put it Another Way: She felt weak. / He felt defeated.
19. Under the weather (emotionally)
Meaning: Feeling down or not quite yourself.
Samples: I’ve been under the weather this week. / She looked under the weather during class.
To Put it Another Way: I feel off. / She isn’t feeling great.
20. Gutted
Meaning: Very disappointed or sad.
Samples: He was gutted when he didn’t make the team. / She felt gutted after hearing the results.
To Put it Another Way: He was very sad. / She felt heartbroken.
21. Losing sleep over it
Meaning: Worrying so much that it affects sleep.
Samples: He’s losing sleep over the test. / She lost sleep over the argument.
To Put it Another Way: He’s really worried. / She can’t stop thinking about it.
22. Torn apart
Meaning: Feeling very sad inside.
Samples: She was torn apart after the breakup. / He was torn apart by what he heard.
To Put it Another Way: She was deeply sad. / He was hurt emotionally.
23. A broken heart
Meaning: Deep sadness from loss or disappointment.
Samples: She had a broken heart after her friend left. / His broken heart took time to heal.
To Put it Another Way: She felt real pain. / He was heartbroken.
24. A tough pill to swallow
Meaning: Something hard to accept.
Samples: Losing the game was a tough pill to swallow. / The truth was a tough pill to swallow.
To Put it Another Way: It was hard to deal with. / It was upsetting.
25. Down and out
Meaning: Feeling low and with no strength.
Samples: He’s down and out this week. / She was down and out after failing the test.
To Put it Another Way: He has no energy left. / She feels defeated.
26. Cut to the core
Meaning: Hurt very deeply.
Samples: Her words cut me to the core. / He was cut to the core by what happened.
To Put it Another Way: I was hurt deeply. / He felt it inside.
27. Feeling crushed
Meaning: Feeling heartbroken or very disappointed.
Samples: She was crushed after the loss. / He felt crushed when he got the news.
To Put it Another Way: She was very upset. / He was really sad.
28. In the pits
Meaning: Feeling really bad or sad.
Samples: He’s in the pits right now. / That was the pits nothing went right.
To Put it Another Way: He feels awful. / That was the worst.
29. Dragging your feet
Meaning: Moving slowly because you feel down.
Samples: She was dragging her feet all morning. / He dragged his feet to class.
To Put it Another Way: She didn’t feel like doing anything. / He was slow and sad.
30. Bury your feelings
Meaning: Hiding sadness or pain inside.
Samples: He buries his feelings so no one knows. / She buried her feelings and kept smiling.
To Put it Another Way: He hides his sadness. / She acts okay, but feels sad.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Suffering
Activity: “A Hard Day for Eli”
Eli had been feeling blue all day. He forgot his homework and missed the bus. By lunch, he was on his last nerve from all the noise. His best friend sat with someone else, which felt like a slap in the face.
When the teacher asked about his missing work, Eli froze. “I just I’m at the end of my rope,” he whispered. After school, he walked home slowly, dragging his feet, wishing he could just forget the day. He felt like he was carrying the world on his shoulders.
At home, his mom asked how his day went. “It was rough,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been knocked down over and over.” She gave him a hug and said, “It’s okay to feel that way. But don’t bury your feelings. Let’s talk about it.”
Your Task:
Can you find and list all 8 idioms for suffering used in the story?
Answer Key
- Feeling blue
- On his last nerve
- A slap in the face
- At the end of my rope
- Dragging his feet
- Carrying the world on his shoulders
- Knocked down
- Bury your feelings
Conclusion
Everyone has hard days or moments when they feel sad. Idioms like “feeling blue” or “carrying a heavy heart” help us talk about suffering in ways that others can understand. These expressions don’t make the pain go away, but they can make it easier to share what we feel.
By learning these idioms, you can express your own feelings better and understand what someone else might be going through. It’s a gentle way to talk about tough times and show that no one is alone.
