Synonyms

crying

American

[krahy-ing] / ˈkraɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

demanding attention or remedy; critical; severe.

a crying evil.
reprehensible; odious; notorious.

a crying shame.

crying British

/ ˈkraɪɪŋ /

adjective

(prenominal) notorious; lamentable (esp in the phrase crying shame )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of crying

First recorded in 1300–50, crying is from the Middle English word cryenge. See cry, -ing ²

Vocabulary lists containing crying

Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Crying, shaking, looking at my husband, I said, 'what is happening?'," she said, recalling the moment she realised they had won on January 30.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Mercifully, having already set “The Crying of Lot 49” and “Inherent Vice” largely in L.A.,

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2025

Crying, he repeated into my ear everything I had said to him.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2025

Crying, Antonio’s friends planted flowers on his grave before bursting colourful balloons over it, a reminder that he was just a child.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2024

Crying from happiness, right there, sitting in front of the computer, reading Alicia's e-mail.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023