25 Idioms for Crying

Crying is a universal human experience, whether it’s a moment of joy, sorrow, frustration, or relief. Emotions often spill over, and crying serves as a release. The English language offers a variety of idioms to describe crying, each expressing the intensity or nature of the tears shed. These idioms allow us to convey the emotional weight of crying in different situations—from “bursting into tears” to “bawling your eyes out.”

In this article, we will explore 25 idioms for crying, each reflecting a different facet of the emotional experience. These idioms are not only useful in everyday conversation, but they also help to paint a vivid picture of what crying can look like, both literally and figuratively.

1. Burst into tears

Meaning: To suddenly start crying, often with intense emotion
In a Sentence:
– “She burst into tears when she heard the news about her promotion.”
– “I couldn’t help but burst into tears during the movie—it was so emotional.”
Other Ways to Say: Start crying suddenly / Cry uncontrollably

2. Cry your eyes out

Meaning: To cry intensely or for a long period of time
In a Sentence:
– “He cried his eyes out after hearing the sad news about his childhood friend.”
– “She was crying her eyes out, unable to stop the tears from falling.”
Other Ways to Say: Sob uncontrollably / Cry intensely

3. Have a good cry

Meaning: To cry in order to release emotions or feel better afterward
In a Sentence:
– “It’s okay to have a good cry after a difficult day—it helps release all the tension.”
– “Sometimes, you just need to have a good cry to clear your mind and feel better.”
Other Ways to Say: Let out your emotions / Cry to feel better

4. Tear up

Meaning: To start crying or become emotional, but not fully cry
In a Sentence:
– “She teared up when she saw the wedding video of her best friend.”
– “He teared up during the speech, but he didn’t actually cry.”
Other Ways to Say: Get emotional / Show tears

5. Weep like a baby

Meaning: To cry uncontrollably, often with a lot of emotion, similar to the crying of an infant
In a Sentence:
– “He wept like a baby at the funeral, unable to hold back his sorrow.”
– “She wept like a baby when she received the surprise gift.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry intensely / Sob loudly

6. Cry over spilled milk

Meaning: To be upset about something that cannot be undone or changed
In a Sentence:
– “There’s no point crying over spilled milk—what’s done is done.”
– “She was upset about the mistake, but I told her not to cry over spilled milk.”
Other Ways to Say: Regret the past / Worry about something that can’t be fixed

7. Cry wolf

Meaning: To falsely claim something is wrong or needs help, leading others to ignore you when it’s real
In a Sentence:
– “He kept crying wolf about minor issues, so when something serious happened, no one believed him.”
– “Don’t cry wolf every time you need attention, or people will stop listening.”
Other Ways to Say: False alarm / Overreact

8. Cry a river

Meaning: To cry a lot, often for an extended period, as if there’s a never-ending stream of tears
In a Sentence:
– “She cried a river after the breakup, not knowing how to cope with the sadness.”
– “I don’t want to cry a river over something that’s already in the past.”
Other Ways to Say: Sob a lot / Cry excessively

9. Tears of joy

Meaning: Crying due to happiness or overwhelming positive emotion
In a Sentence:
– “She shed tears of joy when she found out she had passed the exam.”
– “The announcement brought tears of joy to everyone’s eyes.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry with happiness / Emotional happiness

10. Cry for help

Meaning: To express distress or a need for assistance, often emotionally or mentally
In a Sentence:
– “He’s been silent lately, and I think it’s a cry for help that we shouldn’t ignore.”
– “Her constant complaints are just a cry for help, trying to get attention from the people around her.”
Other Ways to Say: Ask for help / Seek support

11. Cry foul

Meaning: To complain or protest about something that seems unfair or wrong
In a Sentence:
– “He cried foul when he didn’t receive the bonus he was promised.”
– “She cried foul after the referee made a questionable decision during the game.”
Other Ways to Say: Protest / Complain about unfairness

12. Cry like a lost child

Meaning: To cry uncontrollably, often with feelings of helplessness and distress
In a Sentence:
– “He cried like a lost child after his dog ran away, unable to stop his tears.”
– “She was crying like a lost child when she couldn’t find her way back to the hotel.”
Other Ways to Say: Sob helplessly / Cry with distress

13. Crying on someone’s shoulder

Meaning: To seek comfort from someone, usually by crying in their presence
In a Sentence:
– “After the breakup, she was crying on her best friend’s shoulder, looking for support.”
– “When I had a tough day, I ended up crying on my partner’s shoulder, needing to vent.”
Other Ways to Say: Seek comfort / Cry for support

14. Cry in one’s beer

Meaning: To complain or be upset about something, often self-pity or sadness after something unpleasant
In a Sentence:
– “Instead of crying in his beer, he should take action and move forward.”
– “She was crying in her beer after the failed project, but eventually, she decided to try again.”
Other Ways to Say: Self-pity / Grumble

15. Shed a tear

Meaning: To cry gently or shed a small amount of tears, often expressing sorrow or empathy
In a Sentence:
– “He shed a tear when he watched the emotional video of his childhood memories.”
– “She shed a tear during the heartfelt speech, moved by the words.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry softly / Tearful moment

16. Bawl your eyes out

Meaning: To cry intensely and uncontrollably
In a Sentence:
– “She bawled her eyes out after hearing the bad news about her family member.”
– “I couldn’t help but bawl my eyes out during the movie, it was so sad.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry uncontrollably / Sob heavily

17. Cry your heart out

Meaning: To cry with deep emotion or sorrow, often for an extended period
In a Sentence:
– “After the breakup, he cried his heart out, unable to stop the tears.”
– “She cried her heart out after losing her pet; it was such a painful goodbye.”
Other Ways to Say: Sob deeply / Cry intensely

18. Be in tears

Meaning: To be crying, either due to sadness, joy, or overwhelming emotion
In a Sentence:
– “He was in tears when he saw the surprise birthday party his friends had planned for him.”
– “She was in tears as she spoke about the loss of her beloved pet.”
Other Ways to Say: Crying / Tearful

19. Tears of sorrow

Meaning: Crying due to sadness, grief, or emotional pain
In a Sentence:
– “He shed tears of sorrow after hearing about the passing of his mentor.”
– “Tears of sorrow flowed down her face as she remembered her childhood home.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry with grief / Sorrowful tears

20. Blow your nose

Meaning: To cry so much that your nose runs, typically after an emotional moment
In a Sentence:
– “She was crying so much during the sad scene that she had to blow her nose afterward.”
– “After the argument, he was so upset he had to blow his nose several times.”
Other Ways to Say: Wipe your tears / Get emotional

21. Cry a bucket of tears

Meaning: To cry excessively or for a prolonged period
In a Sentence:
– “After the loss of her pet, she cried a bucket of tears, not knowing how to cope with the pain.”
– “He cried a bucket of tears after hearing the heartbreaking news about his family.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry heavily / Sob for a long time

22. Crying a river of tears

Meaning: To cry excessively, often describing a vast amount of emotion or grief
In a Sentence:
– “After watching the emotional finale of the series, I cried a river of tears.”
– “She cried a river of tears on her wedding day, overwhelmed by joy and emotion.”
Other Ways to Say: Sob deeply / Cry with great emotion

23. Cry out in distress

Meaning: To cry loudly or passionately due to pain, frustration, or sorrow
In a Sentence:
– “She cried out in distress when she heard the news of the accident.”
– “He cried out in distress, unable to bear the pain any longer.”
Other Ways to Say: Scream in sorrow / Yell in pain

24. Cry like there’s no tomorrow

Meaning: To cry with intense emotion, often as if it’s the last time you can express your feelings
In a Sentence:
– “After the argument, she cried like there’s no tomorrow, letting out all her frustration.”
– “He cried like there’s no tomorrow when he heard that his childhood home was being sold.”
Other Ways to Say: Cry uncontrollably / Sob with abandon

25. Shed crocodile tears

Meaning: To pretend to be sad or to cry insincerely, often out of self-interest or to gain sympathy
In a Sentence:
– “He shed crocodile tears during the meeting, pretending to care about the issue.”
– “Don’t shed crocodile tears now; you never cared about the project before.”
Other Ways to Say: Fake tears / Pretend to cry

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks using the correct idiom from the list:

1. After hearing the sad news, he __________, unable to control his tears.
2. She was so upset after the breakup that she __________ for hours.
3. Instead of wallowing in sorrow, try not to __________ and move forward.
4. When the award was announced, the actor __________, overwhelmed by emotion.
5. She was __________ after receiving the heartfelt letter from her friend.
6. During the movie, I couldn’t help but __________ at the emotional scene.
7. After the funeral, everyone was __________, mourning the loss of their loved one.
8. He was __________, feeling defeated by the series of misfortunes in his life.
9. The child __________ after losing her favorite toy.
10. She wanted to __________ after hearing about her promotion, overwhelmed by joy.
11. He __________, feeling helpless after the car accident.
12. They were __________ when the team won the championship, overcome with joy.
13. After the failed presentation, I just needed to __________ in private.
14. She had to __________ after the argument, her emotions getting the best of her.
15. I saw him __________ after losing the game; he couldn’t hold back his tears.
16. He was __________ when his childhood friend moved away.
17. She tried not to __________, but the sadness was too much to bear.
18. He had a good cry and felt much better afterward, a much-needed __________.
19. She tried to hold it together, but her tears were __________.
20. He gave a big sigh after the breakup, but he didn’t __________ anymore.
21. He __________ after hearing the heartbreaking news of the accident.
22. She was __________ when she realized how much everyone cared for her.
23. He started to __________ when he received the thoughtful gesture from his coworkers.
24. After the long week, I felt like I just needed to __________.
25. They pretended to be sad, but we all knew they were just __________.

Answer Key

1. Burst into tears
2. Cried her eyes out
3. Cry over spilled milk
4. Shed tears of sorrow
5. In tears
6. Cry a river of tears
7. In tears
8. Cry like a lost child
9. Cry like a baby
10. Tears of joy
11. Cry out in distress
12. In tears of joy
13. Cry your heart out
14. Blow your nose
15. Bawled his eyes out
16. Cry a bucket of tears
17. Cry foul
18. Have a good cry
19. Tear up
20. Cry wolf
21. Cry like a baby
22. Shed a tear
23. Cry out in distress
24. Cry your heart out
25. Shed crocodile tears

Conclusion

Crying is a natural human response to a variety of emotions, whether they’re related to sorrow, joy, frustration, or even relief. These 25 idioms for crying help convey the complexity of emotional expression in creative ways. From “crying your heart out” to “shed crocodile tears,” these idioms offer colorful phrases to describe both genuine and insincere emotions.

By using these idioms, we can better communicate the intensity of our feelings, and also express empathy toward others who are experiencing emotional moments. Whether you’re comforting someone or describing an emotional situation, these idioms provide vivid language to make your message more impactful.