blue in the face

phrase

Synonyms of blue in the facenext
: extremely exasperated
argued until he was blue in the face

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue in the face was in 1792

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Cite this Entry

“Blue in the face.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20in%20the%20face. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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