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Showing results for "crying"
  • present participle of cry.
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Synonyms

crying

American  
[krahy-ing] / ˈkraɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. demanding attention or remedy; critical; severe.

    a crying evil.

  2. reprehensible; odious; notorious.

    a crying shame.


crying British  
/ ˈkraɪɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (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

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.

See Examples For:

“This destruction comes on top of everything else — the low salaries, the inflation, the loss of opportunities ... What can we do? Keep on crying? We cannot even cry with so much pain.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 14, 2026

"I felt so horrible and I was crying," Mikawa said.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

When I got to Figaro, the last place to look on my list, I burst out crying.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 14, 2026

It was a feast day and everyone was celebrating, but M's daughter stayed in her room crying.

From Barron's Aug. 11, 2026

Something knocked the underside of the raft, throwing it off-kilter, and Clare dropped to all fours, crying out for Gingersnipes as she tumbled around but managed to stay aboard.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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