for the birds
Meaning
Worthless, silly, or not worth paying attention to; something you reject as a bad idea or poor quality.
Origin
Popularized in mid-20th-century American English; likely from the idea that only birds would want low-value scraps or leftovers, so something is fit only “for the birds,” i.e., worthless to people.
Notes
Casual, often dismissive or contemptuous. Used to reject an idea, claim, or thing as worthless. Can sound rude if aimed at someone’s work or beliefs.
Examples
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That so-called "exclusive" club is for the birds—everyone I met there was rude.
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Paying extra for bottled air at the concert was for the birds.
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If the update doesn’t fix the bugs, this whole app is for the birds.
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Trying to get customer support on the weekend is for the birds.
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His excuse that he "forgot" three times is for the birds.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually predicative: “X is for the birds.” Also used after pronouns: “It’s for the birds.” Tends to be fixed; rarely takes modifiers. Not literal.
Synonyms
- nonsense
- rubbish
- garbage
- ridiculous
- a waste of time
Antonyms
- worthwhile
- valuable
- useful
- legitimate