50 Similes for Depression With Meanings & Sentences
Similes for Depression
1. Depression feels like drowning in an ocean of sorrow.
Meaning: Overwhelmed by sadness and hopelessness.
In a Sentence: “He described his depression as feeling like drowning in an ocean of sorrow.”
Other Ways to Say: Like being lost at sea in a storm of emotions; Like sinking deeper into a bottomless abyss of despair.
2. As heavy as a leaden blanket
Meaning: Feeling weighed down emotionally.
In a Sentence: Each morning felt as heavy as a leaden blanket over her spirit.
Other Ways to Say: Like a stone cloak; Like carrying a boulder inside.
3. Like walking through knee‑deep mud
Meaning: Struggling through daily life.
In a Sentence: Getting out of bed felt like walking through knee‑deep mud.
Other Ways to Say: Like trudging through quicksand; Like laboring up a hill.
4. As dark as a moonless night
Meaning: Feeling enveloped by gloom.
In a Sentence: His thoughts were as dark as a moonless night.
Other Ways to Say: Like living in a cave; Like trapped in pitch black.
5. Like carrying invisible shackles
Meaning: Emotionally restrained.
In a Sentence: He moved slowly, like carrying invisible shackles.
Other Ways to Say: Like bound in chains; Like trapped in iron cuffs.
6. As empty as an abandoned house
Meaning: Feeling hollow and void.
In a Sentence: Her heart felt as empty as an abandoned house.
Other Ways to Say: Like an echoing shell; Like a hollow room.
7. Like wading in icy water
Meaning: Feelings of coldness and isolation.
In a Sentence: Her mind was like wading in icy water.
Other Ways to Say: Like frozen inside; Like numb to the touch.
8. As silent as a graveyard
Meaning: Emotionally muted and numb.
In a Sentence: His smile was as silent as a graveyard.
Other Ways to Say: Like deathly hush; Like an empty chapel.
9. Like carrying a sack of stones
Meaning: Burdened by sorrow and fatigue.
In a Sentence: Going to work felt like carrying a sack of stones.
Other Ways to Say: Like dragging weights; Like hauling a load up a hill.
10. As hollow as a dried-out well
Meaning: Completely devoid of joy.
In a Sentence: Her laughter was as hollow as a dried-out well.
Other Ways to Say: Like an empty pit; Like a drained reservoir.
11. Like clouds blotting out the sun
Meaning: Obscured optimism.
In a Sentence: Days felt like clouds blotting out the sun.
Other Ways to Say: Like a perpetual storm; Like living in fog.
12. As fragmented as broken glass
Meaning: Feeling emotionally shattered.
In a Sentence: His sense of self felt as fragmented as broken glass.
Other Ways to Say: Like shards inside; Like scattered pieces.
13. Like a wilted flower
Meaning: Loss of vitality and spirit.
In a Sentence: She looked like a wilted flower, drained of life.
Other Ways to Say: Like autumn leaves; Like fading blossoms.
14. As empty as a haunted house
Meaning: Haunted by past pain.
In a Sentence: His mind felt as empty as a haunted house.
Other Ways to Say: Like ghostly rooms; Like a deserted mansion.
15. Like descending into a cave
Meaning: Environment grows darker inwardly.
In a Sentence: Each thought took him like descending into a cave.
Other Ways to Say: Like walking into darkness; Like stepping underground.
16. As heavy as thick fog
Meaning: Overwhelmed by gloom.
In a Sentence: Her heart felt as heavy as thick fog.
Other Ways to Say: Like breathing wet stone; Like enveloped by haze.
17. Like a balloon losing air
Meaning: Gradual loss of energy.
In a Sentence: He felt like a balloon losing air with each passing day.
Other Ways to Say: Like a fading spark; Like a dying ember.
18. As motionless as a statue
Meaning: Ceasing emotional movement.
In a Sentence: She sat as motionless as a statue, lost inside.
Other Ways to Say: Like frozen still; Like suspended in ice.
19. Like a calendar stuck on Monday
Meaning: Time feels stagnant.
In a Sentence: Every morning felt like a calendar stuck on Monday.
Other Ways to Say: Like life on repeat; Like clocks frozen.
20. As muted as autumn leaves
Meaning: Colors and life drained.
In a Sentence: Her mood was as muted as autumn leaves.
Other Ways to Say: Like faded paint; Like grey shadows.
21. Like wading through molasses
Meaning: Moving forward painfully slowly.
In a Sentence: His day was like wading through molasses.
Other Ways to Say: Like trudging in sludge; Like sinking in syrup.
22. As distant as a far-off star
Meaning: Lost sense of connection.
In a Sentence: People felt as distant as a far-off star.
Other Ways to Say: Like living on another planet; Like memories fading.
23. Like sleeping while awake
Meaning: Present yet disconnected.
In a Sentence: He wandered like sleeping while awake.
Other Ways to Say: Like a zombie; Like a husk.
24. As hollow as a fallen tree trunk
Meaning: Losing inner substance.
In a Sentence: She spoke as hollow as a fallen tree trunk.
Other Ways to Say: Like a dead log; Like empty vessel.
25. Like sinking through ice
Meaning: Fear and dread gradually increasing.
In a Sentence: His hope felt like sinking through ice.
Other Ways to Say: Like cracking surface; Like lost in chill.
26. As still as a lifeless pond
Meaning: Emotional stasis.
In a Sentence: Her mind was as still as a lifeless pond.
Other Ways to Say: Like glassed water; Like stagnation.
27. Like fading echoes in a canyon
Meaning: Emotions losing resonance.
In a Sentence: Her words were like fading echoes in a canyon.
Other Ways to Say: Like distant whispers; Like drifting voices.
28. As cracked as dried earth
Meaning: Emotionally parched.
In a Sentence: Her heart felt as cracked as dried earth.
Other Ways to Say: Like broken ground; Like drought-stricken land.
29. Like wearing heavy boots uphill
Meaning: Everyday tasks feel exhausting.
In a Sentence: Taking a shower felt like wearing heavy boots uphill.
Other Ways to Say: Like carrying weights; Like climbing mountains.
30. As colorless as fog
Meaning: Losing vibrance in life.
In a Sentence: Her world felt as colorless as fog.
Other Ways to Say: Like grey mist; Like dimmed world.
31. Like a flame sputtering in wind
Meaning: Losing inner spark.
In a Sentence: Her motivation was like a flame sputtering in wind.
Other Ways to Say: Like candle dying; Like flickering ember.
32. As numb as a frozen limb
Meaning: Emotionally shut down.
In a Sentence: His feelings were as numb as a frozen limb.
Other Ways to Say: Like dead weight; Like icy stone.
33. Like a puppet with broken strings
Meaning: Loss of agency and joy.
In a Sentence: He felt like a puppet with broken strings.
Other Ways to Say: Like empty doll; Like disconnected shell.
34. As unending as a long corridor
Meaning: Depression feels endless.
In a Sentence: His sadness felt like an unending corridor.
Other Ways to Say: Like endless tunnel; Like infinite hallway.
35. Like mist covering all paths
Meaning: Feeling lost and disoriented.
In a Sentence: She wandered like mist covering all paths.
Other Ways to Say: Like blinded by haze; Like directionless fog.
36. As trapped as caged bird
Meaning: Feeling emotionally confined.
In a Sentence: He felt as trapped as a caged bird.
Other Ways to Say: Like behind bars; Like confined soul.
37. Like ice sealing the heart
Meaning: Becoming emotionally cold.
In a Sentence: Her heart felt like ice sealing any warmth.
Other Ways to Say: Like frozen emotion; Like hardened block.
38. As endless as winter nights
Meaning: Sadness that seems to last forever.
In a Sentence: The depression felt as endless as winter nights.
Other Ways to Say: Like everlasting darkness; Like perpetual bleakness.
39. Like a candle snuffed out
Meaning: Loss of hope or spirit.
In a Sentence: His hope was like a candle snuffed out.
Other Ways to Say: Like flame gone; Like extinguished light.
40. As hollow as a cave echo
Meaning: Emptiness that repeats within.
In a Sentence: Her thoughts were as hollow as a cave echo.
Other Ways to Say: Like repeating emptiness; Like void echo.
41. Like driving through a storm at night
Meaning: Navigating emotional turmoil.
In a Sentence: He felt like driving through a storm at night.
Other Ways to Say: Like lost in weather; Like steering blind.
42. As muted as a broken record
Meaning: Repetitive negative thoughts.
In a Sentence: His mind was as muted as a broken record on repeat.
Other Ways to Say: Like endless loop; Like rewinding pain.
43. Like sand slipping through fingers
Meaning: Losing control over feelings.
In a Sentence: Her sanity felt like sand slipping through fingers.
Other Ways to Say: Like vapor slipping away; Like fading grasp.
44. As barren as a desert
Meaning: Emotional emptiness and dryness.
In a Sentence: His heart was as barren as a desert wasteland.
Other Ways to Say: Like arid landscape; Like lifeless plain.
45. Like snow covering color
Meaning: Concealing happiness.
In a Sentence: The depression was like snow covering color in her life.
Other Ways to Say: Like frost blanketing joy; Like white wash of gloom.
46. Like a clock that stopped ticking
Meaning: Feeling like time has stopped.
In a Sentence: His days felt like a clock that stopped ticking.
Other Ways to Say: Like frozen time; Like a silent clock.
47. As hollow as a broken shell
Meaning: Loss of protective joy.
In a Sentence: She felt as hollow as a broken shell, empty inside.
Other Ways to Say: Like discarded husk; Like cracked armor.
48. Like a withered vine
Meaning: Emotional decay and lack of life.
In a Sentence: Her spirit felt like a withered vine that no longer climbed.
Other Ways to Say: Like dying plant; Like wilted growth.
49. As dim as a dying ember
Meaning: Fading emotional spark.
In a Sentence: His hope was as dim as a dying ember in cold ash.
Other Ways to Say: Like near-extinguished flame; Like fading glow.
50. Like a night without stars
Meaning: Utter hopelessness and darkness.
In a Sentence: She described her depression as feeling like a night without stars.
Other Ways to Say: Like a sky without moon; Like blank darkness.
