Pile on the agony/gloom
phrase
To keep talking about something that makes someone feel sad or upset.
My friend failed his exams and everyone keeps piling on the gloom.
Often appears as...
- pile on the gloom about
- pile on the gloom and
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
To exaggerate a situation especially in order to make it seem worse than it actually is.
She started to pile on the agony about how hard her life has been.
Often appears as...
- pile on the agony about
- start to pile on the agony
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
To keep talking about something that makes someone feel sad or upset.
My friend failed his exams and everyone keeps piling on the gloom.
Often appears as...
- pile on the gloom about
- pile on the gloom and
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
To exaggerate a situation especially in order to make it seem worse than it actually is.
She started to pile on the agony about how hard her life has been.
Often appears as...
- pile on the agony about
- start to pile on the agony
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emphasizing sadness
Use it when someone keeps mentioning events or details that add to a feeling of sadness.
After the breakup, her friends kept piling on the gloom with their own sad stories.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative reinforcement
It's used to describe making a situation feel worse by continuous negative comments.
He lost his job, and his colleagues piled on the gloom talking about the tough job market.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in comfort
Avoid using this phrase when trying to comfort someone as it can make you seem insensitive.
When she started to cry, I knew it was time to stop piling on the gloom.
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