cry for

Idioms  

1. Also, cry out for; have a crying need for. Be in urgent need of, as in This wall cries for a second coat of paint, or This car is crying out for a good washing, or There is a crying need for order in this house. The figurative use of cry for, literally meaning “implore” or “weep for,” dates from the late 1500s, as does the use of crying for “demanding attention.” The first variant, alluding to actually shouting out one's needs or desires, dates from the second half of the 1800s.

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Example Sentences

During the inquest, the coroner returned a conclusion of misadventure rather than suicide, describing Jack's actions as "at worst a cry for help and more likely, in my view, an expression of frustration and despair".

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

“A cry for help from millions of people went unanswered,” Suárez said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

But this dissent is not just a theatrical temper tantrum; it is a cry for help.

From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025

Do not cry for Kelly, he can sleep gently on a thick mattress of $100 bills.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

I curl into a ball on the rock-cold floor and cry for Mom.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

Related Words

• ask
• beseech
• recite
• urge