noun
Common
blues
blooz
Blues (noun) means a feeling of sadness or low mood. Example: “He's had a bad case of the Monday blues all week.”
noun
1
A feeling of sadness or low mood.
"He's had a bad case of the Monday blues all week."
"The blues have hit her hard, and she won't get out of bed."
"Grey weather always gives me the blues in the middle of winter."
"A long walk with the dog usually chases my blues away."
"I've got the blues today."
2
A musical genre of African-American origin, typically built on a twelve-bar structure and a distinctive blues scale.
"She grew up listening to old blues records from the Mississippi Delta."
"Many great blues musicians came from the Mississippi Delta region."
"The band played slow blues in a small smoky club."
"He picked up the guitar and taught himself to play the blues."
How to use blues
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a low, gloomy mood, or the American musical genre that grew out of it.
Common pairings
have the blues
blues music
sing the blues
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Word forms
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He's had a bad case of the Monday _____ all week.
Etymology
From "blue devils," an old term for low spirits or melancholy; the musical genre takes its name from the same mood.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for blues
See all rhymes for blues →Frequently asked questions
What does “blues” mean?
The word “blues” means a feeling of sadness or low mood. In plain terms, either a low, gloomy mood, or the American musical genre that grew out of it.
How do you pronounce “blues”?
“Blues” is pronounced blooz (/bluːz/ in IPA).
How do you use “blues” in a sentence?
Here is “blues” used in a sentence: “He's had a bad case of the Monday blues all week.”
What part of speech is “blues”?
“Blues” is a noun.
Is “blues” a common word?
“Blues” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “blues” have?
“Blues” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of sadness or low mood.
Is "blues" singular or plural?
Although "blues" ends in "s," it usually takes a singular verb in both senses — "the blues is a musical genre" and "the blues has hit her hard." It refers to one genre of music or one mood of sadness.
What is the difference between "the blues" and being "sad"?
"The blues" describes a mild, lingering feeling of sadness, melancholy, or low spirits, often without a clear cause. It is generally less severe than clinical depression and is used more informally, as in "the winter blues" or "the Monday blues."
Where does the "blues" music genre come from?
The blues is a musical genre of African-American origin, typically built on a twelve-bar structure and a distinctive blues scale. It has profoundly influenced jazz, rock, and much of popular music.
What are common expressions using "blues"?
Common phrases include "the Monday blues," "the winter blues," "the baby blues" (low mood after childbirth), and "singing the blues" (complaining or feeling sorry for oneself). Each uses "blues" in its sense of sadness or low mood.
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