it kills me

USAGE SUMMARY

'it kills me' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to express strong feelings of distress or frustration, or indicate that you are being greatly inconvenienced by something. For example: "Having to wait in line for hours to renew my driver's license—it kills me!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

It kills me.

The New York Times

"It kills me," she added.

The New York Times

It kills me once in a while.

Independent

It kills me to see it.

The New York Times

"It kills me because I really, really love the Rooneys".

The New York Times - Sports

"It kills me that we weren't able to win.

The New York Times - Sports

"It kills me," Haggis says, passing the makeshift cafeteria.

The Guardian

"It kills me to throw away a race like that".

The New York Times - Sports

It kills me to even think about it now".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

And it killed me.

The New York Times - Magazine

Will it kill me?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To amplify the emotional impact, consider adding specifics about why something "kills you". For example, "It kills me that I can't be there for my friend right now."

Common error

While "it kills me" is effective for expressing strong emotion, overusing it can diminish its impact. Vary your language by using synonyms like "it devastates me" or "it pains me greatly" to maintain a natural and engaging tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it kills me" functions as an idiomatic expression to convey a strong negative emotional reaction. It signifies that something is deeply upsetting, frustrating, or painful to the speaker, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it kills me" is a versatile idiom used to express strong negative emotions such as frustration, disappointment, or sadness. As Ludwig AI explains, it's grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in news and media. While highly effective, it's important to use it judiciously and consider synonyms like "it devastates me" or "it breaks my heart" to avoid overuse. This phrase is appropriate for informal communication but should be avoided in strictly formal or academic contexts where a more neutral tone is preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it devastates me

Emphasizes a more profound sense of emotional destruction compared to a more minor feeling of frustration.

it pains me greatly

Highlights the emotional pain or suffering caused by something, suggesting a deeper level of distress.

it breaks my heart

Conveys a sense of deep sorrow or disappointment, often used in situations involving loss or emotional hurt.

it's a real blow

Indicates a setback or disappointment, focusing on the negative impact of an event or situation.

it's deeply upsetting

Highlights the emotional distress caused by something, emphasizing the speaker's negative reaction.

it's incredibly frustrating

Focuses specifically on the feeling of frustration, highlighting the difficulty or annoyance caused by something.

it's a major disappointment

Emphasizes the feeling of letdown or unfulfilled expectations, highlighting the failure to meet hopes or desires.

it's very disheartening

Conveys a sense of discouragement or loss of motivation, suggesting a negative impact on morale or enthusiasm.

it's deeply regrettable

Emphasizes that the event causes a feeling of sorrow and remorse. It refers to a feeling of deep regret and sadness.

it's a source of great anguish

This suggests intense suffering, stress and torment.

FAQs

How can I use "it kills me" in a sentence?

Use "it kills me" to express intense frustration, disappointment, or sadness about a situation. For example, "It kills me that I missed the concert" or "It kills me to see such wastefulness".

What's a more formal way to say "it kills me"?

In more formal contexts, consider alternatives like "it is deeply regrettable", "it is extremely disappointing", or "it causes me great distress".

What does "it kills me" mean?

"It kills me" is an idiomatic expression used to convey that something is extremely upsetting, frustrating, or painful to the speaker. It doesn't literally mean someone is dying, but rather expresses a strong negative emotional reaction.

Is "it's killing me" the same as "it kills me"?

Yes, "it's killing me" and "it kills me" have essentially the same meaning. "It's killing me" is the continuous or progressive form, suggesting that the upsetting feeling is ongoing or currently happening, while "it kills me" is a more general statement of feeling.