in the doldrums

1. Depressed; dull and listless. For example, Dean's in the doldrums for most of every winter. This expression alludes to the maritime doldrums, a belt of calms and light winds north of the equator in which sailing ships were often becalmed. [Early 1800s] Also see down in the dumps.

Example Sentences

Nine months on, the Vikings are in the doldrums of a disappointing season.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The box office has been in the doldrums for years, with fewer hits, more flops and lower total receipts than before the pandemic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That could bode good news for the sector’s future share-price performance, which has been in the doldrums since auto dealer Tricolor’s bankruptcy on Sept. 10 first made investors wary this year.

Read more on MarketWatch

Still, the reconstructive surgery space isn’t totally in the doldrums, with the fundamentals in the market remaining in place, according to Singh.

Read more on Barron's

They had been really in the doldrums, but to see that guy out there warming up in the bullpen — I mean, that is throwback stuff, man.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• crestfallen 
• depressed 
• despondent 
• disheartened 
• glum