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blue idioms
English blogVocabulary

20 Blue Idioms

4 min read

20 blue idioms

Color idioms are common in English and can describe a variety of situations, feelings, and ideas. The color blue is often thought to be connected with emotions like sadness and surprise, as well as calmness and stability. This article explores 20 useful idioms related to the color blue, with explanations and examples for each.

Once in a blue moon

Very rarely.

We only see each other once in a blue moon.
He goes to the gym once in a blue moon, if at all.

Feeling blue

To feel sad or down.

She felt blue after hearing the bad news.
He was feeling blue after losing his job.

Out of the blue

When something happens unexpectedly or suddenly.

She called me out of the blue after years of no contact.
The invitation came out of the blue, surprising him.

Blue-collar job

A job that involves manual labor or skilled work.

He works a blue-collar job as a mechanic.
Blue-collar jobs include things like construction and manufacturing.

Into the blue

Into the unknown or a new experience.

They set off into the blue, starting their journey.
Moving to a new city felt like stepping into the blue.

True blue

Loyal and trustworthy.

She’s a true blue friend, always there for me.
The true blue fans supported the team through thick and thin.

Blue chip

A valuable or high-quality investment.

He invested in blue-chip stocks for stability.
Blue-chip companies offer long-term growth potential.

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

In a difficult situation with no easy way out.

She felt between the devil and the deep blue sea, choosing between her career and family.
His decision put him between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Blue blood

Someone of noble or aristocratic birth.

She comes from a blue-blood family with a long history.
The blue-blood heirs inherited the estate.

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Blue moon

A rare event.

It happens once in a blue moon.
Blue moons bring unusual tides and sights.

Like a bolt from the blue

Completely unexpected or surprising.

His promotion was like a bolt from the blue.
The announcement hit like a bolt from the blue.

Blue sky thinking

Imaginative or creative thinking.

The brainstorming session encouraged blue sky thinking.
She came up with blue sky ideas for the project.

Blue with cold

Extremely cold.

She was blue with cold after walking in the snow.
He was blue with cold, shivering at the bus stop.

Go blue

To become cold or hypothermic.

He went blue after falling into the icy water.
Her fingers went blue from the freezing temperatures.

Blue Monday

A Monday that feels depressing or difficult.

He struggled through the blue Monday after the weekend.
Blue Mondays make it hard to get back to work.

A blue streak

A rapid flow of speech.

She talked a blue streak, recounting her day.
He spoke a blue streak about the news.

Singing the blues

To complain or express sadness.

She’s been singing the blues about her breakup.
He’s singing the blues over his financial troubles.

Blue screen

A computer error or crash.

The computer showed a blue screen, losing all my work.
The blue screen interrupted his gaming session.

Blue in the face

To repeat something excessively, often without success.

She argued until she was blue in the face, but he didn’t listen.
He explained the issue until he was blue in the face, with no change.

A blue ribbon

An award or recognition of excellence.

She won a blue ribbon at the art fair.
The project earned a blue ribbon for its innovation.

Did you enjoy exploring blue idioms? Don’t forget to check out our green idioms too!

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