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blue-balled

blue-balled

1 9.9
Feeling frustrated because something you waited for did not happen
  • adjective
  • /bluː bɔld/
  • Offensive
: frustrado sexualmente

Actually they were kind of blue balled as it were, and they were in, they were in Western academia.

Examples

  • Pocketed the phone, left with blue balls in my own room because of my own hands.

  • Actually they were kind of blue balled as it were, and they were in, they were in Western academia.

  • After our date ended without any intimacy, I felt completely blue-balled.

  • He was blue-balled throughout the evening after his romantic plans fell through.

  • She left him blue-balled after teasing him all night without following through.

Synonyms

frustrated
vsblue-balled
384 2.8

Feeling disappointed because you cannot do something you tried hard to do

is irritation from unmet expectation, often sexual, not failure after effort
dissatisfied
vsblue-balled
45 3.2

Not happy because something does not meet your expectations

is more about sexual expectation and bodily irritation than mere displeasure
unsatisfied
vsblue-balled
20 3.7

Feeling unhappy because you did not get what you wanted

focuses specifically on sexual expectation and the irritation it causes
ungratified
vsblue-balled
1 7.2

Not feeling satisfied because a wish was not met

is about sexual expectation that causes irritation rather than general lack of pleasure
unstimulated
vsblue-balled
1 5.4

Not feeling interested or excited to do things

is irritation from unmet expectation, usually sexual, rather than simple lack of arousal

Antonyms

25 3.2

Feeling happy and satisfied because goals or needs are met

How Frustrated

blue-balled
  • Offensive
1 9.9
frustrated
384 2.8
annoyed
143 1.0
unbothered
  • Informal
1 4.8

Surface Forms

blue-balled positive

Morphology

blue-balled = blueball (opaque) = blue + ball + ed

The adjectival form is a regular past-participle formation from the verb 'blueball' using productive English '-ed'.

Etymology

The word blue-balled comes from the phrase blue balls, which describes the painful, heavy feeling some men get when sexual excitement is not released. So, to be blue-balled means to be left 'frustrated' or 'disappointed', and you can remember it because blue often means 'sad' or 'upset'.