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

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.

The caption reads: "Results are in and I am cancer-free!" followed by 10 crying emojis.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

The day after, he said he couldn't stop crying.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

“I was laughing out loud. And I was crying with her.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

A television journalist was seen crying as she reported live from inside the building, while another senator, Robin Padilla, urged reporters to evacuate.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

His mother, toward the end of the pandemic, crying and crying and saying, “I can’t do this anymore,” not to him but through him.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

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