Sometimes people cry when they feel sad, scared, or even happy. Crying is something that everyone does. It can happen when you get hurt, miss someone, or feel really proud. But instead of just saying “cry,” people often use special sayings to talk about it. These sayings are called idioms.
Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. They have a different meaning. For example, if someone says “cry your eyes out,” they don’t really mean your eyes fall out. They just mean you cried a lot. Learning idioms helps you understand what people really mean when they speak. It can also make your own speaking and writing more fun. Let’s learn some idioms people use when they talk about crying.
Idioms for Crying
1. Cry your eyes out
Meaning: To cry a lot, usually because you are very sad.
Samples: She cried her eyes out after losing her favorite toy. / He cried his eyes out when his dog ran away.
To Put it Another Way: To cry very hard. / To weep deeply.
2. In floods of tears
Meaning: Crying so much it looks like a flood.
Samples: She was in floods of tears when the movie ended. / He was in floods of tears after the bad news.
To Put it Another Way: Crying a lot. / Tears coming out fast.
3. Bawl like a baby
Meaning: To cry loudly like a little baby.
Samples: He bawled like a baby when he got a shot. / She bawled like a baby when she fell down.
To Put it Another Way: Loud crying. / Crying in a noisy way.
4. Tears welled up
Meaning: When tears start to fill your eyes.
Samples: Tears welled up when she saw her grandma. / His eyes welled up during the speech.
To Put it Another Way: Eyes getting full of tears. / Starting to cry.
5. Have a good cry
Meaning: To cry for a while and feel better afterward.
Samples: She had a good cry after the sad story. / He went to his room to have a good cry.
To Put it Another Way: Crying to feel better. / Letting feelings out with tears.
6. Burst into tears
Meaning: To suddenly start crying.
Samples: She burst into tears when the balloon popped. / He burst into tears after missing the bus.
To Put it Another Way: Start crying fast. / Tears come all at once.
7. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that already happened and can’t be changed.
Samples: Don’t cry over spilled milk it was just an accident. / She cried over spilled milk after losing the game.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t be sad about small mistakes. / No use being upset now.
8. Waterworks
Meaning: A joking way to talk about crying a lot.
Samples: She turned on the waterworks after losing her toy. / He started the waterworks when he dropped his cake.
To Put it Another Way: Crying a lot. / Lots of tears.
9. Choked up
Meaning: Feeling so emotional that you can’t talk.
Samples: He got choked up during the goodbye. / She felt choked up at the concert.
To Put it Another Way: Too emotional to speak. / Holding back tears.
10. Tearjerker
Meaning: A story, movie, or song that makes people cry.
Samples: That movie was a real tearjerker. / The book was a tearjerker and made me cry.
To Put it Another Way: Something very sad. / A sad story.
11. Eyes brimming with tears
Meaning: Eyes are full of tears and almost spilling.
Samples: His eyes were brimming with tears at the end. / She had eyes brimming with tears after the speech.
To Put it Another Way: Eyes full of tears. / Almost crying.
12. Cry on someone’s shoulder
Meaning: To go to someone for comfort when you’re sad.
Samples: She cried on her friend’s shoulder after the loss. / He needed to cry on someone’s shoulder that day.
To Put it Another Way: Getting comfort. / Sharing your sadness.
13. Break down in tears
Meaning: To suddenly start crying from strong feelings.
Samples: He broke down in tears after hearing the news. / She broke down in tears during the talk.
To Put it Another Way: Start crying hard. / Too sad to hold it in.
14. Cry me a river
Meaning: Used to tell someone to stop being overly dramatic or sad.
Samples: Oh, cry me a river you’ll be fine. / He said, “Cry me a river,” and walked away.
To Put it Another Way: Stop over-crying. / Don’t be so dramatic.
15. In tears
Meaning: Crying right now.
Samples: She was in tears after the game. / He left the room in tears.
To Put it Another Way: Crying. / Full of emotion.
16. Weep bitter tears
Meaning: To cry in a very sad and painful way.
Samples: He wept bitter tears after saying goodbye. / She wept bitter tears at the sad ending.
To Put it Another Way: Very sad crying. / Heartfelt tears.
17. Cry wolf
Meaning: To keep pretending to cry or be upset until no one believes you anymore.
Samples: He cried wolf too many times. / She doesn’t believe him he cried wolf.
To Put it Another Way: Fake crying. / Not telling the truth.
18. Fighting back tears
Meaning: Trying hard not to cry.
Samples: She was fighting back tears in the classroom. / He tried fighting back tears during the song.
To Put it Another Way: Holding in crying. / Trying not to cry.
19. Bring tears to one’s eyes
Meaning: To make someone feel so much emotion they almost cry.
Samples: Her words brought tears to my eyes. / The story brought tears to his eyes.
To Put it Another Way: Made someone tear up. / Made someone feel touched.
20. Drown in tears
Meaning: To cry so much it feels like you are surrounded by tears.
Samples: She was drowning in tears after the news. / He felt like he was drowning in tears.
To Put it Another Way: Crying a lot. / Very upset.
21. Eyes filled with tears
Meaning: Tears are in your eyes, showing strong feelings.
Samples: Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the puppy. / His eyes filled with tears during the sad part.
To Put it Another Way: About to cry. / Tears showing.
22. Cry buckets
Meaning: To cry so much, it could fill buckets.
Samples: He cried buckets after saying goodbye. / She cried buckets during the sad movie.
To Put it Another Way: Crying a lot. / Nonstop tears.
23. Cry like there’s no tomorrow
Meaning: To cry very hard and for a long time.
Samples: She cried like there’s no tomorrow after her team lost. / He cried like there’s no tomorrow when his toy broke.
To Put it Another Way: Really hard crying. / Endless tears.
24. Heartbreaking sobs
Meaning: Deep and painful crying.
Samples: Her heartbreaking sobs made everyone sad. / He had heartbreaking sobs after the bad news.
To Put it Another Way: Very sad crying. / Strong and painful tears.
25. All cried out
Meaning: You’ve cried so much that you can’t cry anymore.
Samples: She was all cried out by bedtime. / He said he was all cried out after the long day.
To Put it Another Way: Done crying. / No more tears left.
26. Tears streaming down
Meaning: Tears are running down the face.
Samples: Tears were streaming down her cheeks. / His tears streamed down during the speech.
To Put it Another Way: Tears falling fast. / Crying a lot.
27. A tear rolled down
Meaning: A single tear comes down your face.
Samples: A tear rolled down her cheek when she saw the photo. / Just one tear rolled down his face.
To Put it Another Way: One tear. / Quiet crying.
28. Tear-stained face
Meaning: A face marked from crying.
Samples: She had a tear-stained face after the sad story. / His face was tear-stained from crying all night.
To Put it Another Way: Cried a lot. / Face shows sadness.
29. Cry your heart out
Meaning: To cry so much because of strong feelings.
Samples: She cried her heart out after the goodbye. / He cried his heart out when his pet got lost.
To Put it Another Way: Very deep crying. / Full of emotion.
30. A lump in your throat
Meaning: Feeling like you might cry, but you hold it in.
Samples: He had a lump in his throat during the speech. / She got a lump in her throat when she saw the letter.
To Put it Another Way: Almost crying. / Trying not to cry.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Crying
Read the story below. Try to find the 8 idioms for crying hidden in the story. After you read, underline them or list them.
Story:
After the school play ended, Lily walked off stage with her eyes brimming with tears. She had worked so hard, and the moment felt special. Her mom saw her and gave her a hug, saying, “Go ahead and have a good cry, sweetie.”
Backstage, her friend Max had a lump in his throat too. He was proud but sad the play was over. “I could cry my eyes out,” he said, holding back. Just then, the teacher announced that their group had been chosen for the city play contest. Everyone gasped. Max and Lily looked at each other and burst into tears.
Their classmate Emma stood nearby with a big smile. Then, out of nowhere, she started crying buckets. “I’m just so happy!” she laughed. Mr. Jacobs, the teacher, said the show was a real tearjerker. Later, Lily told her dad, “I was choked up the whole time.”
Your Task:
Can you find all 8 idioms for crying in the story? Underline or list them.
Answer Key
- Brimming with tears
- Have a good cry
- A lump in his throat
- Cry my eyes out
- Burst into tears
- Crying buckets
- Tearjerker
- Choked up
Conclusion
Crying is something we all do. It shows we care, feel sad, or even feel happy. People use idioms to talk about crying in different ways. These special sayings help us understand feelings better and speak in a fun way.
Now that you know idioms like “cry your eyes out” and “a lump in your throat,” you can spot them in books or movies. You can even try using them in your own stories. They make your writing more interesting and your speaking more clear. Keep learning, and don’t be afraid to show your feelings with the right words.
