Skip to content
NorthFactsFacts first, Canada's reference desk
Entertainment

Deep Blue Sea

What is deep blue sea?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Part of speech noun or phrase[4]
Literal meaning sea, ocean, open sea[4]
Idiom meaning a difficult situation with two equally undesirable options[2]
Extended idiom form between the devil and the deep blue sea[1]

Deep blue sea can mean the literal ocean or, in the idiom “between the devil and the deep blue sea,” a difficult situation with two equally undesirable choices [3]. The phrase is also used metaphorically, not just literally [1]. For the film series, see Deep Blue Sea 3.

Context

The phrase “deep blue sea” can refer to the literal ocean or, in the idiom “between the devil and the deep blue sea,” a difficult situation with two equally undesirable choices [3]. It is also used metaphorically [1]. The idiom is commonly glossed as a dilemma [2]. One source suggests maritime roots [1].

Documented claims

  • The phrase is used metaphorically in the idiom sense, not only literally. [1]
  • The idiom is commonly glossed as being in a dilemma or between two bad choices. [2]
  • One source says the phrase has maritime roots and likely originated with sailors. [1]

Related

Deep Blue SharkDeep Blue Sea is a film about a shark, and Deep Blue Shark is a documentary about a real shark.

Questions and answers

Was Deep Blue Sea based on a true story?

The sources do not mention a true story. The phrase “deep blue sea” is defined as a noun or idiom [4].

Is Deep Blue Sea a good movie?

The sources do not provide a review or rating of the movie. They define the phrase “deep blue sea” [3].

Is Deep Blue Sea 2 a sequel?

The sources do not discuss the film series. They focus on the phrase “deep blue sea” [4].

What shark was used in Deep Blue Sea?

The sources do not mention sharks in the film. They define the phrase “deep blue sea” [3].

Sources

  1. deep blue sea - LEO: Übersetzung im Englisch ⇔ Deutsch Wörterbuch — dict.leo.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. deep blue sea - Deutsch-Übersetzung – Linguee Wörterbuch — linguee.de (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Deep-blue-sea Definition — yourdictionary.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Deep blue sea: Significance and symbolism — wisdomlib.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Entertainment