When emotions run high, words often fall short—and that’s where idioms for crying come in. They capture everything from silent sorrow to dramatic outbursts, helping us describe what raw emotion feels like.
This collection brings together 50 vivid idioms for crying to express heartbreak, relief, regret, and even joy. Perfect for storytellers, learners, or anyone trying to say what tears often can’t.
Best Idioms for Crying
1. Cry your eyes out
Meaning: To cry intensely and uncontrollably, often from deep sorrow or emotional pain.
In a Sentence:
She cried her eyes out after the breakup.
He sat on the stairs, crying his eyes out over the loss of his dog.
Other Ways to Say: Sob uncontrollably, Weep deeply, Break down in tears
2. Cry your heart out
Meaning: To grieve or mourn with such intensity that it feels like your emotions are being poured out.
In a Sentence:
She cried her heart out at the funeral.
That night, he cried his heart out alone in the dark.
Other Ways to Say: Mourn deeply, Pour out sorrow, Grieve openly
3. Cry a river
Meaning: To cry excessively—often used with slight exaggeration or dramatic tone.
In a Sentence:
He cried a river after watching that movie.
You’d think she cried a river over missing one concert.
Other Ways to Say: Weep endlessly, Shed oceans of tears, Drown in sorrow
4. Burst out crying
Meaning: To suddenly start crying, often triggered by overwhelming emotion.
In a Sentence:
She burst out crying the moment she saw the old photo.
He tried to stay composed but burst out crying mid-sentence.
Other Ways to Say: Break into tears, Cry without warning, Emotional outburst
5. Cry into your pillow
Meaning: To cry in private, usually in bed or alone, hiding your sadness from others.
In a Sentence:
He cried into his pillow every night that week.
She didn’t tell anyone—just cried into her pillow until sleep came.
Other Ways to Say: Weep in solitude, Muffle the pain, Quietly break down
6. Down in the dumps
Meaning: Feeling low, sad, or emotionally drained, often without a clear reason.
In a Sentence:
He’s been down in the dumps ever since he got that call.
She looked down in the dumps, barely saying a word at dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling low, In a slump, Emotionally drained
7. Down in the mouth
Meaning: Looking visibly sad or dejected, often due to disappointment.
In a Sentence:
After losing the match, he was really down in the mouth.
Why are you so down in the mouth today?
Other Ways to Say: Crestfallen, Visibly upset, Long-faced
8. Face like a wet weekend
Meaning: Looking extremely sad, gloomy, or miserable—often used in British English.
In a Sentence:
She walked in with a face like a wet weekend—clearly bad news.
He had a face like a wet weekend after that interview.
Other Ways to Say: Miserable expression, Gloomy face, Drenched in sorrow
9. Break down
Meaning: To lose control emotionally, often resulting in sobbing or public tears.
In a Sentence:
He tried to be strong but broke down during the eulogy.
She broke down in the middle of explaining what happened.
Other Ways to Say: Collapse emotionally, Lose composure, Fall apart
10. Crying drunk
Meaning: Becoming emotional and tearful under the influence of alcohol, often revealing suppressed sadness.
In a Sentence:
He ended the night crying drunk and confessing everything.
She was fine until the last drink, then she got crying drunk over her ex.
Other Ways to Say: Drunk and tearful, Emotional under alcohol, Boozy sorrow
11. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To express regret about something that can’t be changed or undone.
In a Sentence:
It’s no use crying over spilled milk—we just need to move forward.
She kept blaming herself, but he reminded her not to cry over spilled milk.
Other Ways to Say: Let it go, Move on, No use in regrets
12. Cry for the moon
Meaning: To desire something unrealistic, impossible, or far out of reach.
In a Sentence:
Expecting the company to double your salary right now is like crying for the moon.
She’s crying for the moon if she thinks she can fix it overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Ask for the impossible, Unrealistic expectations, Wish too big
13. Crying shame
Meaning: A situation that is deeply unfortunate or disappointing.
In a Sentence:
It’s a crying shame they closed down the library.
What happened to that talented singer is a crying shame.
Other Ways to Say: Sad truth, Disappointing outcome, Real pity
14. Tear your hair out
Meaning: To show extreme frustration or worry, often from helplessness.
In a Sentence:
She’s been tearing her hair out trying to get that project done on time.
He tore his hair out over the constant tech glitches.
Other Ways to Say: Frustrated to the limit, Losing patience, Stressed beyond control
15. Be in bits
Meaning: To be emotionally shattered or deeply upset, especially after a loss.
In a Sentence:
She was in bits after hearing the news about her friend.
He’s been in bits ever since they broke up.
Other Ways to Say: Completely broken, Emotionally wrecked, Falling apart
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Eyes That Reveal Emotion
16. A lump in your throat
Meaning: A tight feeling caused by sadness or the urge to cry.
In a Sentence:
The speech gave me a lump in my throat.
As she said goodbye, he felt a lump in his throat.
Other Ways to Say: Choked up, Emotion swelling, Tearful pause
17. Bawl your head off
Meaning: To cry loudly and uncontrollably, often without restraint.
In a Sentence:
The baby bawled his head off all night.
She bawled her head off when her dog ran away.
Other Ways to Say: Wail uncontrollably, Cry at full volume, Loud sobbing
18. In floods of tears
Meaning: Crying intensely and continuously, often in dramatic fashion.
In a Sentence:
She was in floods of tears after the final episode.
He left the room in floods of tears, unable to speak.
Other Ways to Say: Sobbing heavily, Drenched in tears, Crying non-stop
19. Weep like a child
Meaning: To cry with raw, uninhibited emotion—vulnerable and deep.
In a Sentence:
He wept like a child after seeing his childhood home torn down.
She wept like a child in her mother’s arms.
Other Ways to Say: Cry freely, Let it all out, Break down emotionally
20. Tears rolling down
Meaning: Silent, steady crying that shows deep sadness without outbursts.
In a Sentence:
She sat quietly, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Tears rolled down his face as he listened to the voicemail.
Other Ways to Say: Silent crying, Soft weeping, Streaming sorrow
21. Crocodile tears
Meaning: Fake or insincere tears—crying without genuine emotion, often for manipulation.
In a Sentence:
She shed crocodile tears at the hearing, but no one believed her.
Those weren’t real emotions—just crocodile tears to win sympathy.
Other Ways to Say: Fake sadness, Forced emotion, Manipulative crying
22. Cry wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm so often that no one believes you when the danger is real.
In a Sentence:
He’s cried wolf too many times—now no one listens when he’s serious.
If you keep crying wolf, people won’t come when you really need help.
Other Ways to Say: False alarm, Untrustworthy warning, Boy-who-cried-wolf moment
23. Drama queen
Meaning: A person who exaggerates emotions or situations for attention.
In a Sentence:
She’s a total drama queen—crying over the smallest things.
Don’t be such a drama queen; it’s just a small delay.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional exaggerator, Over-reactor, Attention seeker
24. Make a scene
Meaning: To act out emotions in a public or exaggerated way, often drawing attention.
In a Sentence:
He made a scene at the restaurant just because his food was late.
She tends to make a scene whenever things don’t go her way.
Other Ways to Say: Cause a fuss, Public meltdown, Attention-drawing drama
25. Playing the victim
Meaning: Pretending to be helpless or wronged to gain sympathy or avoid blame.
In a Sentence:
He’s always playing the victim, even when he started the fight.
Stop playing the victim—you know exactly what you did.
Other Ways to Say: Victim act, Sympathy seeker, Blame deflector
26. All tears and no truth
Meaning: Acting emotionally to hide dishonesty or avoid confrontation.
In a Sentence:
Her apology was all tears and no truth.
He’s all tears and no truth whenever he’s caught in a lie.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional cover-up, Dishonest sadness, Crying with an agenda
27. Turn on the waterworks
Meaning: To suddenly start crying—often deliberately or theatrically.
In a Sentence:
As soon as he was scolded, he turned on the waterworks.
She can turn on the waterworks whenever she needs a favor.
Other Ways to Say: Fake cry, Instant tears, Cry on cue
28. Fake a cry
Meaning: To pretend to cry without real emotion, usually for attention or manipulation.
In a Sentence:
He faked a cry to get out of trouble.
You can tell when she fakes a cry—her eyes stay dry.
Other Ways to Say: Pretend sobbing, False weeping, Manufactured tears
29. Weep for attention
Meaning: To cry not out of real sadness, but to attract sympathy or focus.
In a Sentence:
He wasn’t hurt—just weeping for attention.
She tends to weep for attention when things don’t go her way.
Other Ways to Say: Sympathy sobbing, Attention-seeking tears, Manipulative emotion
30. Act broken
Meaning: To exaggerate or pretend to be emotionally shattered in order to gain something.
In a Sentence:
She acted broken after the argument, though she was fine.
He knows how to act broken when it benefits him.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional performance, Playing helpless, Feigned pain
31. Close to tears
Meaning: On the verge of crying, showing visible emotion or sadness.
In a Sentence:
She looked close to tears when they announced the final results.
He was close to tears during the emotional speech.
Other Ways to Say: About to cry, Holding back tears, Teary-eyed
32. Feeling blue
Meaning: Experiencing a mild or lingering sadness or melancholy.
In a Sentence:
I’ve been feeling blue all day and I’m not sure why.
Whenever it rains, he gets that feeling of a blue mood.
Other Ways to Say: Low mood, Slightly depressed, Quietly sad
33. A shoulder to cry on
Meaning: A person who offers comfort and support during sadness.
In a Sentence:
After her breakup, she needed a shoulder to cry on.
He’s always been the kind of friend who’s a shoulder to cry on.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional support, Listening ear, Comforting presence
34. Crybaby
Meaning: Someone who is overly sensitive or cries easily over small things.
In a Sentence:
Don’t be such a crybaby—it was just a joke.
He’s a bit of a crybaby when things don’t go his way.
Other Ways to Say: Overly sensitive person, Whiner, Emotionally lightweight
35. Moody mess
Meaning: A person in a state of unpredictable emotions, especially sadness or irritability.
In a Sentence:
She’s been a moody mess since the semester started.
I was a moody mess all weekend—no idea why.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional rollercoaster, Temperamental wreck, Unsteady feelings
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Excitement to Energize Your Speech
36. Sniffle and sulk
Meaning: Mild, passive sadness often expressed through quiet pouting or silent crying.
In a Sentence:
He didn’t argue, just sat in the corner to sniffle and sulk.
She tends to sniffle and sulk when things don’t go her way.
Other Ways to Say: Pout in silence, Mourn quietly, Soft sadness
37. Eyes welling up
Meaning: Eyes filling with tears due to strong emotion, often just before crying.
In a Sentence:
Her eyes were welling up as she read the final letter.
He felt his eyes welling up at the unexpected kindness.
Other Ways to Say: Eyes filling with tears, Getting misty-eyed, On the edge of crying
38. Wipe away tears
Meaning: To literally or figuratively recover from crying, sadness, or emotional pain.
In a Sentence:
She wiped away tears and forced a smile.
After the speech, he quietly wiped away tears of pride.
Other Ways to Say: Dry your eyes, Push through sadness, Move past emotion
39. Soft-hearted
Meaning: Easily moved to emotion, especially sadness or empathy.
In a Sentence:
He’s too soft-hearted to watch sad movies.
She’s soft-hearted—she cries every time someone else does.
Other Ways to Say: Sensitive soul, Tender-hearted, Easily touched
40. Tearjerker
Meaning: A story, film, or moment that strongly evokes tears or emotion.
In a Sentence:
That movie was a total tearjerker—I cried from start to finish.
She loves a good tearjerker on rainy days.
Other Ways to Say: Emotional story, Cry-worthy film, Heart-tugger
41. Cry for joy
Meaning: To cry from overwhelming happiness or relief rather than sadness.
In a Sentence:
She cried for joy when she saw her family waiting at the airport.
He cried for joy after hearing he’d been accepted into the program.
Other Ways to Say: Tears of happiness, Joyful sobbing, Emotional relief
42. Happy tears
Meaning: Tears shed during moments of great happiness or emotional celebration.
In a Sentence:
Her wedding day was filled with happy tears.
He wiped away happy tears when he heard he was going to be a dad.
Other Ways to Say: Joyful weeping, Tears of delight, Emotional joy
43. Tears of laughter
Meaning: Crying due to uncontrollable laughter—extremely amused.
In a Sentence:
That joke had us in tears of laughter for minutes.
They collapsed on the couch in tears of laughter after the prank.
Other Ways to Say: Laughing so hard you cry, Hysterical joy, Belly-laugh tears
44. Tears of relief
Meaning: Crying as a response to release from stress, danger, or emotional tension.
In a Sentence:
She burst into tears of relief after learning the surgery was successful.
They cried tears of relief when the storm finally passed.
Other Ways to Say: Sigh-cry, Released emotion, Safety sobs
45. Let it all out
Meaning: To fully express one’s emotions, especially by crying.
In a Sentence:
He finally let it all out after holding in his grief for weeks.
She told me to let it all out—no shame in crying.
Other Ways to Say: Unload emotionally, Release the floodgates, Cry freely
46. Crying with gratitude
Meaning: Crying as an emotional response to kindness, generosity, or overwhelming thankfulness.
In a Sentence:
She was crying with gratitude after receiving the surprise gift.
He started crying with gratitude when they paid for his surgery.
Other Ways to Say: Thankful tears, Heartfelt crying, Grateful emotion
47. Eyes shining with tears
Meaning: A poetic way to describe teary eyes due to strong positive emotion.
In a Sentence:
Her eyes were shining with tears as she hugged her friend goodbye.
He looked up, eyes shining with tears of joy.
Other Ways to Say: Glimmering emotion, Tear-filled joy, Sparkling sadness
48. Overcome with emotion
Meaning: So filled with feeling—whether joy, sadness, or relief—that you lose composure.
In a Sentence:
She was overcome with emotion when she heard the news.
He stood in silence, overcome with emotion at the standing ovation.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionally flooded, Deeply moved, Carried away by feeling
49. Laugh until you cry
Meaning: To laugh so hard that tears come—usually from intense humor and joy.
In a Sentence:
We laughed until we cried watching that comedy special.
He always makes me laugh until I cry with his impressions.
Other Ways to Say: Gut-busting laughter, Hysterical tears, Joyful collapse
50. Cry like never before
Meaning: To experience an intense, perhaps unfamiliar level of emotional release through crying.
In a Sentence:
After the goodbye, she cried like never before.
He cried like never before when the final curtain fell.
Other Ways to Say: Deepest weeping, Unleashed grief, Unforgettable cry
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Crying
- She opened the acceptance letter and immediately burst into __________.
- After the breakup, he spent the night __________.
- That movie was a total __________—I couldn’t stop crying.
- She tried to look calm, but her eyes were __________.
- When the dog came home, the kids cried __________.
- He made such a fuss—total __________ behavior.
- Don’t __________—it’s done and can’t be changed.
- She didn’t say much, just __________ in her bed all night.
- We laughed until we cried—true __________.
- After weeks of pretending, he finally __________ and let the tears fall.
Answers
- tears
- crying into his pillow
- tearjerker
- welling up
- tears of joy
- drama queen
- cry over spilled milk
- sniffled and sulked
- tears of laughter
- let it all out
Conclusion
Whether tears come from heartbreak or happiness, idioms for crying give voice to feelings we all recognize but struggle to describe. They bring color to our conversations and emotion to our storytelling. Let these phrases echo the moments when words alone aren’t enough.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
