Synonyms

for the birds

Cultural

Worthless: “The last scheme you came up with was really for the birds.”

for the birds Idioms

Worthless, not to be taken seriously, no good. For example, This conference is for the birds—let's leave now. This term has been said to allude to horse droppings from which birds would extract seeds. This seemingly fanciful theory is borne out by a more vulgar version of this idiom, shit for the birds. [Slang; first half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

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for the birds

"So this is like the caviar of the seed for the birds."

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

“I love the majesty and structure of the white sage,” he says, pointing out the dried branches he leaves for the birds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026

The drovers would forage along the way, picking berries, acorns and gleaning corn for the birds to eat.

From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025

One major factor in this decline is competition with local fisheries that catch sardines and anchovies, which are essential prey for the birds.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 17, 2025

“I was just waiting for the birds to come and get me. I wasn’t going to step off.”

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

for the birds

Example Sentences

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