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Region: US | Usage example: After the rejection, he was down in the dumps for days.

Get down in the dumps

Meaning

Feel sad or depressed.

Usage

Used when someone is emotionally low.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Dumps were low-lying, dirty areas, symbolizing gloom.

19th-century literature used the term to describe melancholy.