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

cryingly adverb
uncrying adjective

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

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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.

To clients who apologize for crying or for asking questions that veer into their personal lives, Eberle tells them, “This is an emotional process and I’m here to get you through it.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Ahmad’s 5-year-old daughter couldn’t stop crying, even after he returned home.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

But others looked visibly shaken, crying and hugging their relatives.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Hoijard said his five-year-old son had been "lying in bed crying" after the airport ordeal, which followed a trip away for his mother-in-law's 60th birthday party.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

But Dad is crying alone in a basement while Mom eats sushi on a tropical island.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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