kick in the balls

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A great setback or disappointment.

Register: slang, vulgar

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

This was a real kick in the balls to us because Afghanistan was going on, September 11 had just happened, and we were away from our families.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “kick in the balls” mean?

A great setback or disappointment.

Is “kick in the balls” formal or informal?

kick in the balls is generally slang, vulgar.