Idioms in everyday speech help us convey feelings in more elegant and meaningful ways. When it entails disappointment or emotional moments, idioms for crying permit us to speak those emotions with intensity and creativity. These expressions don’t continually imply precisely what the terms say, but they convey powerful emotional messages that resonate for the duration of cultures.
For example, announcing someone is “crying over spilled milk” indicates they’re upset about a few issue which could’t be changed. Idioms like this make conversations greater attractive and relatable, helping us understand and hook up with others’ feelings.
Idioms about tears lend emotional depth and expression to writing, storytelling, and private discussions. They offer greater than truly phrases—they seize the human experience in a manner that easy language regularly can’t.
1. Bawl One’s Eyes Out
- Meaning: To cry in an excessive and noisy manner.
- Example: After her cherished canine handed away, Mia bawled her eyes out all night time.
- Similar Phrases: Cry uncontrollably, sob deeply
2. Shed Tears
- Meaning: To weep quietly, frequently in an emotional or gentle 2nd.
- Example: He shed quiet tears inside the route of the emotional wedding ceremony vows.
- Similar Phrases: Weep, get misty-eyed
3. Cry a River

- Meaning: To cry for a long time or in huge quantities.
- Example: After learning the devastating truth, she sobbed uncontrollably.
- Similar Phrases: Sob with out cease, weep bitterly
4. Tear Up
- Meaning: To come to be visibly emotional, frequently with watery eyes.
- Example: Hearing the farewell message made him tear up right away.
- Similar Phrases: Get teary, experience choked up
5. Break Down in Tears
- Meaning: To start crying due to emotional weigh down.
- Example: She broke down in tears during the emotional reunion.
- Similar Phrases: Burst into tears, crumble emotionally
Read More: 30 Idioms for Excitement
6. Cry One’s Heart Out
- Meaning: To launch deep unhappiness thru immoderate crying.
- Example: After the breakup, he cried his heart out for days.
- Similar Phrases: Sob bitterly, weep with sorrow
7. Snivel
- Meaning: To cry in a feeble or whiny manner, regularly with sniffles.
- Example: The infant began to snivel on the equal time as he couldn’t discover his toy.
- Similar Phrases: Whimper, sniffle softly
8. Choke Up
- Meaning: To enjoy overwhelmed with emotion, making it tough to speak.
- Example: She choked up at the identical time as thanking her dad and mom on degree.
- Similar Phrases: Get emotional, struggle to talk
9. Wail
- Meaning: To scream aloud, generally with pain or sadness.
- Example: The mourners wailed due to the reality the funeral procession exceeded.
- Similar Phrases: Howl, cry out in grief
10. Have a Meltdown
- Meaning: To emotionally lose control, often via tears and distress.
- Example: He had a whole meltdown after the overpowering day at art work.
- Similar Phrases: Break down, lose composure
11. Cry Uncle
- Meaning: To surrender or surrender, specifically in the route of a war or opposition.
- Example: After being pinned down inside the wrestling in form for the 1/three time, he in the end gave up and cried uncle.
12. Cry for the Moon
- Meaning: To need or ask for some hassle this is nearly now not feasible to build up.
- Example: Expecting a manipulate characteristic only some weeks into your interest is like crying for the moon—it’s surely no longer realistic.
13. Cry Long Enough to Get Your Way
- Meaning: Persistently displaying misery or emotion until one’s goals are met.
- Example: The little boy knew that if he cried prolonged and loud sufficient, his dad and mom must in the long run hand him that greater cookie.
14. Cry Your Heart Out
- Meaning: To weep deeply, commonly from heartbreak or overwhelming emotion.
- Example: She locked herself in her room and cried her coronary coronary coronary heart out after being attentive to the devastating information.
15. Cry on the Inside

- Meaning: To suppress your emotions and not allow others see your unhappiness or pain.
- Example: He stored a courageous face at paintings, but internal, he have grow to be crying on the interior because of the private loss he had suffered.
16. Cry the Blues
- Meaning: To specific sorrow or grief, regularly via soulful tune or lament.
- Example: The blues musician had a gift—on the equal time as he sang, he have to in truth cry the blues, pouring raw emotion into each be aware.
17. Cry of Victory
- Meaning: A yell or declaration of victory following a hard-won victory or success.
- Example: His cry of victory shook the arena as he crossed the give up line in advance of actually all of us else.
18. A Crying Shame
- Meaning: A situation that’s deeply regrettable or disappointing; a few element that shouldn’t have passed off.
- Example: It’s a crying disgrace that her talents have grow to be unnoticed for such lots of years in advance than in the end being recognized.
19. Let the Dogs of War Slip and Cry Havoc
- Meaning: To unleash chaos or violence; to begin with a line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar signaling the begin of war.
- Example: The stylish’s aggressive orders seemed to cry havoc and allow slip the dogs of war, pushing the region into turmoil.
20. Cry Over Cut Onions
- Meaning: To pretend to cry or show emotion for the sake of compassion or non-public gain.
- Example: She acted upset to get out of supporting with dinner, but it come to be definitely crying over reduce onions—honestly staged.
21. Cry a Waterfall
- Meaning: To cry in an high-quality and uncontrollable way, nearly as no matter the fact that your tears should form a waterfall.
- Example: When her younger humans friend left for some unique u . S . A ., she cried a waterfall of feelings.
- Alternative Expressions: Cry a river, weep uncontrollably, damage down in tears
22. Cry One’s Eyes Dry
- Meaning: To cry so intensely and for this form of long time that it looks like all your tears have dried up.
- Example: She cried her eyes dry after receiving the heartbreaking facts of her grandmother’s passing.
- Alternative Expressions: Weep until no tears are left, cry out all feelings, sob and no longer the usage of a end in sight
23. Break into Tears
- Meaning: To begin crying , commonly introduced on through sturdy emotions like sadness, pressure, or frustration.
- Example: He broke into tears the right away he noticed the damage due to the hearth.
- Alternative Expressions: Burst into tears, all of sudden start crying, be conquer with emotion
24. Shed a Flood of Tears
- Meaning: To cry carefully and constantly, as irrespective of the reality that releasing a flood via your tears.
- Example: They shed a flood of tears after pronouncing good-bye on the airport.
- Alternative Expressions: Cry uncontrollably, weep overtly, sob with grief
25. Cry One’s Heartache Away
- Meaning: To particular sorrow or emotional ache via extended crying, frequently as a way of recuperation.
- Example: After the prevent of her extended-term relationship, she cried her heartache away each night time time time.
- Alternative Expressions: Weep to heal, sob through the ache, permit tears ease the harm
26. Tears of Joy
- Meaning: Tears that come from overwhelming happiness in desire to sadness.
- Example: When the scientific physician introduced she have come to be in the long run maximum cancers-free, she burst into tears of satisfaction.
- Alternative Expressions: Happy tears, tears of comfort, emotional tears of happiness
27. Cry a Sea of Tears
- Meaning: To cry so excessively it looks as if one need to fill a sea with their tears.
- Example: She cried a sea of tears after losing her early life puppy.
- Alternative Expressions: Weep without surrender, sob deeply, cry with all your coronary coronary heart
28. Eyes Welling with Tears
- Meaning: The 2d on the same time as tears start to accumulate to your eyes, often due to sturdy emotion, however haven’t however fallen.
- Example: His eyes welled with tears at the same time as he positioned his daughter walk ultimately of the graduation diploma.
- Alternative Expressions: Tears accumulating, eyes filling up, feeling emotional
29. Cry in Silence
- Meaning: To cry without making any noise, often to cowl one’s sadness or to live private approximately feelings.
- Example: She cried in silence while sitting by myself in her room, no longer attempting all of us to pay interest her pain.
- Alternative Expressions: Weep quietly, sob soundlessly, cry without a valid
30. Tears Rolling Down One’s Cheeks
- Meaning: A slight however easy signal of crying—even as tears flow into down someone’s face.
- Example: Tears began to trickle down his cheeks as he watched the reunion video.
- Alternative Expressions: Eyes brimming, tears falling, a face smeared with tears
MCQs About idioms for crying
1. How does the expression “bawl one’s eyes out” suggest anything?
A) To chortle very loudly
B) To cry very loudly and uncontrollably
C) To near your eyes in pain
D) To blink constantly
✔️ Correct Answer: B
2. If a person is said to have “cried their eyes dry,” what does it suggest?
A) They are feeling sleepy
B) They are pretending to cry
C) They cried a lot that they had no tears left
D) They cried quietly
✔️ Correct Answer: C
3. What type of emotion does “tears of joy” represent?
A) Grief
B) Embarrassment
C) Intense happiness
D) Regret
✔️ Correct Answer: C
4. “Cry a river” is used to give an explanation for a person who…
A) Laughs an excessive amount of
B) Cries for a long time
C) Gets irritated with out issues
D) Faints from emotion
✔️ Correct Answer: B
5. What does “cry at the inner” advise?
A) Crying simplest even as you’re interior
B) Suppressing tears and emotions
C) Crying inside the shower
D) Crying loudly
✔️ Correct Answer: B
6. Which idiom amazing describes someone who fakes sadness for interest?
A) Cry uncle
B) Cry over reduce onions
C) Cry the blues
D) Cry a sea of tears
✔️ Correct Answer: B
7. “Cry uncle” is an idiom that means…
A) Beg for food
B) Ask someone to stop
C) Give up or give up
D) Shout with joy
✔️ Correct Answer: C
8. When someone’s “eyes well with tears,” what’s taking region?
A) They are blinking plenty
B) They are searching for to sleep
C) Tears are starting to shape due to emotion
D) They are smiling
✔️ Correct Answer: C
9. If a singer “cries the blues,” what are they doing?
A) Singing out of tune
B) Singing soulful songs that express sorrow
C) Laughing during a performance
D) Crying for attention
✔️ Correct Answer: B
10. The phrase “a crying shame” refers to…
A) A funny situation
B) An unfortunate or regrettable situation
C) A reason to celebrate
D) A dishonest action
✔️ Correct Answer: B
Final Words
Crying is one of the maximum conventional human emotions—and language permits us particular it in lovely, effective, and once in a while poetic tactics. Idioms for crying don’t definitely describe tears; they reflect ache, pride, vulnerability, and connection. Whether you’re writing a tale, speakme to a pal, or reflecting to your non-public emotions, the use of those idioms affords emotional intensity and brilliant imagery that simple phrases regularly lack.
From “crying your coronary heart out” to “tears of satisfaction” or even “crying over lessen onions,” each idiom brings its very personal taste to how we explicit emotion. They display that language isn’t always pretty plenty grammar or form—it’s miles about expressing real-existence opinions in significant, relatable methods.
So, the following time you’re moved to tears—whether or not or not in unhappiness or happiness—recollect, you have extra than simply tears to expose it. You have a whole vocabulary of effective idioms to assist tell your story.
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