crying
Americanadjective
-
demanding attention or remedy; critical; severe.
a crying evil.
-
reprehensible; odious; notorious.
a crying shame.
adjective
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
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.
If you’re watching “Man On The Run,” you see the hysterical fans crying outside the Marylebone Registry Office as Paul and Linda emerge after tying the knot.
From Salon • Jun. 23, 2026
The movie’s most brilliant scene features old-school playthings crying, “The age of toys is over!”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
Shaw said she could still recall the moment she and her crying stepmother confronted the thief and asked him if he had any idea what it was like to lose a child.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
In the video, neighbors can be heard angrily admonishing police officers for killing the dog while the woman, identified as Marie Marseille, held the animal, crying.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
Mumbling to myself, I said, “Whatever it is that’s crying must be under that bank. That’s the only place it could be.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
