* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”), of which the word barbarian derives from.
* Adjective sense “bland, dull” (1919), perhaps influenced by French blasé (“bored, indifferent”).
* The blahs (“boredom, mild depression”) first attested 1969; probably a blend of the blues + blah (adjective).
* Also may be connected with bleat
Meanings
(informal) Dull; uninteresting; insipid.
[…] although the show deliberately showcases various luxury goods […], the overall ambience is extraordinarily bare of style and beauty, offering instead a world of blah décor, undistinguished fashions and cavernous homes that just look like overpriced McMansions. 2025 May 6, Ross Douthat, “Lifestyles of the Rich and Miserable”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
He was struck by how much pleasure they seemed to take in their daytime lives, how blah their night work was by contrast, how altogether meaningless; […] 2001, Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections:
Well, the new restaurant seems nice, but their menu is a little blah.
(informal) Low in spirit or health; down.
I decided to go exercise rather than sit around all day feeling blah.
* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”), of which the word barbarian derives from.
* Adjective sense “bland, dull” (1919), perhaps influenced by French blasé (“bored, indifferent”).
* The blahs (“boredom, mild depression”) first attested 1969; probably a blend of the blues + blah (adjective).
* Also may be connected with bleat
Meanings
An expression of mild frustration.
Blah! Why can't I get this computer to work!
(qualifier:When spoken repeatedly; often three times in succession: blah blah blah!; When spoken repeatedly; often three times in succession: blah blah blah!) Imitative of idle, meaningless talk; used sometimes in a slightly derogatory manner to mock or downplay another's words, or to show disinterest in a diatribe, rant, instructions, unsolicited advice, parenting, etc. Also used when recalling and retelling another's words, as a substitute for the portions of the speech deemed irrelevant.
Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah, Mom, you said this all yesterday.
And then he was like, "Oh, my brother's an Internet millionaire, blah blah blah." Like I care!
ru бла̀-бла̀-бла́ (imitative of meaningless talk) · es bluaaa (the sound of vomiting) · fi blaa (imitative of meaningless talk) · pl błe (the sound of vomiting) · es bluaa (the sound of vomiting) · fi yök (the sound of vomiting) · pl bla-bla (imitative of meaningless talk) · pl uch (expression of mild frustration) · pt blá (imitative of meaningless talk) · fi plääh (expression of mild frustration) · fi pälä (imitative of meaningless talk)
* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”), of which the word barbarian derives from.
* Adjective sense “bland, dull” (1919), perhaps influenced by French blasé (“bored, indifferent”).
* The blahs (“boredom, mild depression”) first attested 1969; probably a blend of the blues + blah (adjective).
* Also may be connected with bleat
(countable, in-plural, informal, uncountable) A general or ambiguous feeling of discomfort, dissatisfaction, uneasiness, boredom, mild depression, etc.
(countable, derogatory, informal, uncountable) A fool, an idiot.
* Sense “Idle, meaningless talk” (1940), probably imitative or echoic in origin. Compare Ancient Greek βαρ-βαρ (bar-bar, “unintelligible sounds”), of which the word barbarian derives from.
* Adjective sense “bland, dull” (1919), perhaps influenced by French blasé (“bored, indifferent”).
* The blahs (“boredom, mild depression”) first attested 1969; probably a blend of the blues + blah (adjective).
* Also may be connected with bleat
Meanings
(intransitive) To utter idle, meaningless talk.
Ooh, I feel so guilty, I've got far too much money — […] So give it away, endow a charitable foundation, burn it, but stop blahing on about it […] 2014, Shelagh Stephenson, Ancient Lights, page 28:
Someone else said to me: “If you’re writing something again, don’t blah on about winning elections; it really offends them.” 2015 August 29, Tony Blair, “Jeremy Corbyn’s politics are fantasy – just like Alice in Wonderland”, in The Guardian: