50 Idioms for Crying can add color and emotion to the way you express yourself. Whether you’re shedding a tear of joy or crying your heart out, these idioms capture every shade of human emotion. From heartache to happiness, there’s a phrase for every feeling—and knowing them can make your conversations more vivid and relatable.
Ever felt like crying a river or being on the verge of tears? You’re not alone. Dive into these 50 powerful idioms that perfectly describe those tearful moments—you might just find the perfect expression for how you feel!
1. Cry Over Spilt Milk
Meaning: Regretting something that cannot be undone.
In a Sentence: After realizing he missed the concert, he knew there was no use crying over spilt milk.
Other Ways to Say: It’s water under the bridge; let bygones be bygones.
2. Crying for the Moon
Meaning: Desiring the unattainable or impossible.
In a Sentence: Wishing to relive his childhood is like crying for the moon.
Other Ways to Say: Pining for the impossible; chasing rainbows.
3. Cry Baby
Meaning: A person who cries or complains easily.
In a Sentence: Don’t be such a cry baby; it’s just a small scratch.
Other Ways to Say: Whiner; complainer; wimp.
4. Cry Your Eyes Out
Meaning: To cry intensely and for a prolonged period.
In a Sentence: She cried her eyes out after watching the heartbreaking movie.
Other Ways to Say: Weep bitterly; sob uncontrollably.
5. Cry Wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm or exaggerate a situation.
In a Sentence: If you keep crying wolf, no one will believe you when you’re truly in trouble.
Other Ways to Say: Sound a false alarm; bluff.
6. Cry Me a River
Meaning: An expression used to mock someone who is excessively complaining.
In a Sentence: You didn’t get the promotion? Cry me a river.
Other Ways to Say: Play the world’s smallest violin; shed crocodile tears.
7. All Cried Out
Meaning: Being exhausted from crying; having no more tears left to shed.
In a Sentence: After hours of mourning, she was all cried out.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionally drained; tearfully exhausted.
8. Cry Crocodile Tears
Meaning: To display insincere or fake sadness.
In a Sentence: He cried crocodile tears at the funeral of someone he hardly knew.
Other Ways to Say: Feign sadness; fake sympathy.
9. Cry in One’s Beer
Meaning: To sulk or feel sorry for oneself, often accompanied by drinking.
In a Sentence: After the breakup, he spent the evening crying in his beer.
Other Ways to Say: Drown one’s sorrows; wallow in self-pity.
10. Cry a River
Meaning: To cry excessively.
In a Sentence: She cried a river when her beloved pet passed away.
Other Ways to Say: Weep profusely; shed endless tears.
11. Cry Foul
Meaning: To complain about something believed to be unfair.
In a Sentence: The team cried foul when the referee made a questionable call.
Other Ways to Say: Protest; object; raise an objection.
12. Cry with Laughter
Meaning: To laugh so hard that tears come out.
In a Sentence: The comedian’s joke made the entire audience cry with laughter.
Other Ways to Say: Laugh hysterically; be in stitches.
13. Cry Over Spilt Tea
Meaning: Regretting something minor or insignificant.
In a Sentence: Spilling a bit of coffee is nothing to cry over spilt tea about.
Other Ways to Say: Make a mountain out of a molehill; sweat the small stuff.
14. Cry in the Wilderness
Meaning: A voice or opinion that goes unheard or unheeded.
In a Sentence: His warnings about the financial crisis were like a cry in the wilderness.
Other Ways to Say: Voice in the void; unheard plea.
15. Cry on Someone’s Shoulder
Meaning: To seek comfort from someone by sharing one’s troubles.
In a Sentence: After the bad news, she needed to cry on her best friend’s shoulder.
Other Ways to Say: Seek solace; confide in someone.
16. Cry Uncle
Meaning: To admit defeat or surrender.
In a Sentence: After a long argument, he finally cried uncle.
Other Ways to Say: Give in; concede; throw in the towel.
17. Cry Mercy
Meaning: To plead for leniency or forgiveness.
In a Sentence: The defeated soldiers cried mercy to their captors.
Other Ways to Say: Beg for mercy; ask for pardon.
18. Cry the House Down
Meaning: To cry very loudly and disruptively.
In a Sentence: The toddler cried the house down when she couldn’t find her favorite toy.
Other Ways to Say: Wail loudly; scream one’s head off.
19. Cry One’s Heart Out
Meaning: To cry intensely from deep sorrow or grief.
In a Sentence: He cried his heart out after hearing the tragic news.
Other Ways to Say: Weep bitterly; sob deeply.
20. Cry Buckets
Meaning: To cry a lot; to shed many tears.
In a Sentence: She cried buckets during the emotional farewell.
Other Ways to Say: Weep profusely; bawl uncontrollably.
21. Cry the Blues
Meaning: To complain or lament, often about one’s misfortunes.
In a Sentence: He’s always crying the blues about his financial problems.
Other Ways to Say: Whine; grumble; bemoan.
22. Cry Like a Baby
Meaning: To cry uncontrollably, similar to an infant.
In a Sentence: He cried like a baby when he lost his job.
Other Ways to Say: Sob hysterically; weep without restraint.
23. Cry One’s Eyes Out
Meaning: To cry intensely and for a long time.
In a Sentence: She cried her eyes out after the breakup.
Other Ways to Say: Weep bitterly; sob uncontrollably.
24. Cry for Joy
Meaning: To shed tears due to extreme happiness.
In a Sentence: She cried for joy when she heard she was accepted into her dream college.
Other Ways to Say: Tears of happiness; weep with delight.
25. Cry in Vain
Meaning: To cry without achieving any result or sympathy.
In a Sentence: He cried in vain, but no one came to help.
Other Ways to Say: Weep fruitlessly; shed tears to no avail.
26. Cry Over Spilled Milk
Meaning: To lament something that cannot be undone.
In a Sentence: It’s no use crying over spilled milk; let’s focus on fixing the problem.
Other Ways to Say: Regret the irreversible; dwell on past mistakes.
27. Cry with Happiness
Meaning: To shed tears because of extreme joy.
In a Sentence: She cried with happiness when she reunited with her long-lost friend.
Other Ways to Say: Tears of joy; weep with elation.
28. Cry in Despair
Meaning: To cry out of hopelessness or extreme sadness.
In a Sentence: He cried in despair after hearing the devastating news.
Other Ways to Say: Weep in anguish; sob in misery.
29. Cry for Help
Meaning: To shout or scream because one is in danger or needs assistance.
In a Sentence: She heard a cry for help coming from the alley.
Other Ways to Say: Call for assistance; shout for aid.
30. Cry in Anguish
Meaning: To cry out due to severe pain or distress.
In a Sentence: He cried in anguish when he saw the destruction of his home.
Other Ways to Say: Weep in torment; sob in agony
31. Eyes Are Waterfalls
Meaning: Tears flowing abundantly, resembling cascading waterfalls.
In a Sentence: At the farewell party, her eyes were waterfalls.
Other Ways to Say: Tears streaming down; eyes overflowing.
32. Heart Is Breaking
Meaning: Experiencing profound emotional pain.
In a Sentence: His heart was breaking when he heard the tragic news.
Other Ways to Say: Heartache; deep sorrow.
33. Floodgates Opened
Meaning: Sudden and overwhelming release of tears.
In a Sentence: When she saw her childhood home, the floodgates opened.
Other Ways to Say: Tears poured out; emotional outburst.
34. Eyes Are Rivers
Meaning: Continuous flow of tears.
In a Sentence: His eyes were rivers during the emotional speech.
Other Ways to Say: Tears streaming; eyes flowing.
35. Soul Is Weeping
Meaning: Deep, internal sorrow.
In a Sentence: After the loss, her soul was weeping silently.
Other Ways to Say: Inner grief; profound sadness.
36. Tears Are Rain
Meaning: Tears falling steadily like raindrops.
In a Sentence: Tears were rain on his cheeks as he read the letter.
Other Ways to Say: Crying continuously; steady tears.
37. Eyes Are Wells
Meaning: Eyes filled with unshed tears, deep and reflective.
In a Sentence: Her eyes were wells of unspoken sorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Tear-filled eyes; eyes brimming with emotion.
38. Heart Is Shattering
Meaning: Feeling intense emotional pain, as if the heart is breaking apart.
In a Sentence: His heart was shattering with each passing day without her.
Other Ways to Say: Heartbroken; deeply distressed.
39. Tears Are Diamonds
Meaning: Tears that are precious and rare, highlighting the value of the emotion.
In a Sentence: Her tears were diamonds, sparkling under the moonlight.
Other Ways to Say: Priceless tears; valuable emotions.
40. Face Is a Storm
Meaning: A visage showing turbulent emotions, akin to a stormy sky.
In a Sentence: His face was a storm of conflicting feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional turmoil; stormy expression.
41. Sky Is Crying
Meaning: Nature reflecting human sorrow, as if the sky itself sheds tears.
In a Sentence: On the day of the funeral, it felt like the sky was crying.
Other Ways to Say: Rainy sorrow; nature’s tears.
42. Heart Is a Crumbling Wall
Meaning: Emotional defenses breaking down under sorrow.
In a Sentence: With each memory, her heart became a crumbling wall.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional collapse; breaking down.
43. Tears Are Pearls
Meaning: Tears compared to pearls, emphasizing their beauty and rarity.
In a Sentence: Her tears were pearls, glistening softly.
Other Ways to Say: Beautiful tears; precious droplets.
44. Heart Is Aching
Meaning: Experiencing deep emotional pain.
In a Sentence: His heart was aching after the heartfelt goodbye.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional hurt; deep longing.
45. Eyes Are Bursting Dams
Meaning: Holding back tears until they can no longer be contained.
In a Sentence: At the reunion, her eyes were bursting dams.
Other Ways to Say: Tears overflowing; emotional release.
46. Ocean of Tears
Meaning: An immense amount of crying, as vast as an ocean.
In a Sentence: She was lost in an ocean of tears after the farewell.
Other Ways to Say: Sea of sorrow; endless crying.
47. Voice Is Quivering
Meaning: A trembling voice indicating suppressed tears or strong emotion.
In a Sentence: His voice was quivering as he delivered the eulogy.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling speech; shaky voice.
48. Heart Is a Broken Glass
Meaning: Fragile and shattered emotions.
In a Sentence: After the betrayal, her heart felt like a broken glass.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional fragility; shattered feelings.
49. Floodgates Opened
Meaning: Experiencing an uncontrollable release of emotions, leading to intense crying.
In a Sentence: When she heard the tragic news, the floodgates opened, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.
Other Ways to Say: Tears poured out; emotions overflowed.
50. Eyes Are Rivers
Meaning: Tears flowing steadily, resembling continuous streams.
In a Sentence: His eyes were rivers during the heartfelt farewell.
Other Ways to Say: Tears streamed down; eyes overflowed.
Multiple Choice Quiz on 50 Idioms for Crying
Test your understanding of 50 idioms for crying with the following questions:
- Which idiom means to cry very loudly and disruptively?
- A) Cry over spilled milk
- B) Cry the house down
- C) Cry wolf
- D) 50 Idioms for Crying
- What does the idiom “Cry over spilled milk” suggest?
- A) To lament something that cannot be undone
- B) To cry tears of joy
- C) To seek attention by pretending to be in distress
- D) To cry intensely from deep sorrow
- Which metaphor implies experiencing profound emotional pain?
- A) Eyes are rivers
- B) Heart is breaking
- C) Floodgates opened
- D) Cry like a baby
- The idiom “Cry wolf” refers to:
- A) Crying out of hopelessness
- B) Shedding tears of joy
- C) Raising a false alarm
- D) Crying uncontrollably
- What does “Cry one’s eyes out” mean?
- A) To cry intensely and for a long time
- B) To pretend to be sad
- C) 50 Idioms for Crying
- D) To complain without reason
- Which idiom means to cry due to extreme happiness?
- A) Cry over spilled milk
- B) Cry wolf
- C) Cry for joy
- D) Cry in vain
- “Floodgates opened” is a metaphor for:
- A) Controlling one’s emotions
- B) An uncontrollable release of emotions
- C) A minor emotional reaction
- D) Preventing tears from falling
- The idiom “Cry in vain” suggests:
- A) Crying without achieving any result or sympathy
- B) Crying with great success
- C) Crying for a short period
- D) Crying to gain attention
- What does “Cry like a baby” imply?
- A) Crying softly
- B) Crying uncontrollably, similar to an infant
- C) Not crying at all
- D) Pretending to cry
- Which idiom means to complain or lament about one’s misfortunes?
- A) Cry the house down
- B) Cry for joy
- C) Cry the blues
- D) 50 Idioms for Crying
Answers
- B) Cry the house down
- A) To lament something that cannot be undone
- B) Heart is breaking
- C) Raising a false alarm
- A) To cry intensely and for a long time
- C) Cry for joy
- B) An uncontrollable release of emotions
- A) Crying without achieving any result or sympathy
- B) Crying uncontrollably, similar to an infant
- C) Cry the blues
Conclusion
Understanding 50 idioms for crying enriches our language and helps us express complex emotions more vividly. These expressions capture the nuances of human feelings, from profound sorrow to overwhelming joy, and enhance our ability to communicate effectively.
