crocodile tears

American  

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) a hypocritical show of sorrow; insincere tears.

2. (used with a singular verb) spontaneous tearing initiated by tasting or chewing food, occurring as a result of facial paralysis.

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crocodile tears British  

plural noun

1. an insincere show of grief; false tears

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crocodile tears Cultural  

1. An insincere show of sympathy or sadness; crocodiles were once thought to “weep” large tears before they ate their victims: “Don't shed any crocodile tears for Fisher; I know you were responsible for his firing.”

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crocodile tears Idioms  

1. An insincere display of grief, as in When the play's star broke her leg, her understudy wept crocodile tears. This term comes from the mistaken notion that crocodiles weep while eating their prey, one held in ancient Roman times. The actual term was picked up by Shakespeare and many other writers after him, and remains current. [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of crocodile tears

First recorded in 1555–65; so called from the ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their victims

Example Sentences

The man might as well be wiping away his crocodile tears with $1,000 bills.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2025

When Rudolf learns he’s being transferred to a new post in Oranienburg, Germany, potentially upending their idyllic existence, Hedwig screams and rants and sheds crocodile tears.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2023

"We won't wait for the accident which is about to happen to see everyone shed crocodile tears ... safety should be on the front line," wrote the rail workers' union.

From Reuters • Mar. 6, 2023

Some of us suspected this was a gush of crocodile tears.

From Washington Post • Sep. 23, 2021

Accordingly shrieks of despair begin to resound, and crocodile tears to flow in cataracts.

From The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead, Volume I (of 3) The Belief Among the Aborigines of Australia, the Torres Straits Islands, New Guinea and Melanesia by Frazer, James George, Sir