Idioms are special phrases where the words together mean something different from what they say one by one. People use them to make their speaking and writing more colorful, fun, and expressive. In this article, you will learn fifty interesting idioms that are all about crying hard and shedding big tears.
In this lesson, we will look at idioms that mean weeping loudly or sobbing heavily. Let us get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Crying Hard
1. Weep your eyes out
Definition: To cry very hard and for a long time.
Used in a Sentence: She was so sad after losing her favorite necklace that she went to her room to weep her eyes out. / He spent the whole evening on the sofa ready to weep his eyes out over the sad movie ending.
Similar Expressions: Cry your eyes out / Sob your heart out
2. Bawl your eyes out
Definition: To cry loudly and uncontrollably with many tears.
Used in a Sentence: The little boy fell off the swing and began to bawl his eyes out. / When the puppy got lost in the park, she started to bawl her eyes out.
Similar Expressions: Cry your eyes out / Wail out loud
3. Cry a river
Definition: To shed an excessive amount of tears over a problem.
Used in a Sentence: Do not sit there and cry a river just because you missed the bus. / She told her brother to stop complaining and not to cry a river over spilled milk.
Similar Expressions: Shed bitter tears / Pour out tears
4. Burst into tears
Definition: To suddenly start crying very quickly and strongly.
Used in a Sentence: The student felt so embarrassed during the spelling test that she burst into tears. / He tried to stay brave, but when he saw the broken toy, he burst into tears.
Similar Expressions: Break down / Start sobbing
5. Shed bitter tears
Definition: To cry deeply because of great regret, sadness, or pain.
Used in a Sentence: He would later shed bitter tears for not studying hard enough for the final exam. / She did not listen to her parents and ended up shedding bitter tears over her bad choice.
Similar Expressions: Cry bitterly / Weep bitterly
6. Cry your heart out
Definition: To cry with all your emotion until you feel empty inside.
Used in a Sentence: Sometimes it helps to find a quiet corner and cry your heart out when life is tough. / After hearing the heartbreaking news, she just sat on the bed and let herself cry her heart out.
Similar Expressions: Sob your heart out / Weep your heart out
7. Sob your heart out
Definition: To make deep gasping crying sounds while weeping heavily.
Used in a Sentence: He hid his face in the pillow to sob his heart out after losing the big game. / The child was so overwhelmed with fear that he began to sob his heart out.
Similar Expressions: Cry your heart out / Weep uncontrollably
8. Flood your face with tears
Definition: To have so many tears running down that your face is completely wet.
Used in a Sentence: Her grief was so deep that she could only stand still and let tears flood her face. / He wiped his cheeks as water from the shower mixed with tears that continued to flood his face.
Similar Expressions: Drench your face in tears / Let tears flow freely
9. Cry buckets
Definition: To produce a huge amount of tears when crying.
Used in a Sentence: She will probably cry buckets when she says goodbye to her best friend at the airport. / The emotional story made everyone in the theater cry buckets.
Similar Expressions: Cry an ocean / Weep gallons
10. Cry an ocean
Definition: To cry an impossibly large amount of water from extreme sadness.
Used in a Sentence: He felt like he could cry an ocean after his beloved pet dog passed away. / She said she did not want to cry an ocean over a silly argument.
Similar Expressions: Cry buckets / Shed a flood of tears
11. Put on the waterworks
Definition: To start crying intentionally or dramatically to get attention.
Used in a Sentence: The clever toddler knew how to put on the waterworks whenever he wanted a new toy. / She tried to put on the waterworks so her teacher would excuse her from homework.
Similar Expressions: Turn on the tears / Fake crying
12. Turn on the waterworks
Definition: To begin crying suddenly, often in a theatrical or exaggerated way.
Used in a Sentence: As soon as his mother walked into the room, he turned on the waterworks. / She can easily turn on the waterworks whenever she wants to win an argument.
Similar Expressions: Put on the waterworks / Start weeping loudly
13. Have a good cry
Definition: To cry freely for a while until you feel better and relieved.
Used in a Sentence: It is totally normal to have a good cry when you are feeling stressed out. / After talking about her bad day, she had a good cry and felt much lighter.
Similar Expressions: Release your emotions / Let it all out
14. Let it all out
Definition: To stop holding back your sadness and cry as much as you need.
Used in a Sentence: Give yourself permission to let it all out instead of hiding your tears. / He needed to let it all out after keeping his worries secret for weeks.
Similar Expressions: Have a good cry / Vent your grief
15. Break down in tears
Definition: To completely lose emotional control and start crying hard.
Used in a Sentence: She tried to keep her composure, but the pressure caused her to break down in tears. / He managed to speak for a moment before he broke down in tears on stage.
Similar Expressions: Burst into tears / Fall apart sobbing
16. Fall apart in tears
Definition: To become entirely overwhelmed by emotion and sob uncontrollably.
Used in a Sentence: The bad news made the entire family fall apart in tears in the living room. / She tried to stay strong, but seeing the empty house made her fall apart in tears.
Similar Expressions: Break down in tears / Go to pieces
17. Sob uncontrollably
Definition: To cry with heavy, shaking breaths that you cannot stop.
Used in a Sentence: He sat on the floor and began to sob uncontrollably after the shock wore off. / She tried to explain what happened, but she could only sob uncontrollably.
Similar Expressions: Weep uncontrollably / Cry hysterically
18. Weep uncontrollably
Definition: To shed continuous heavy tears without being able to calm down.
Used in a Sentence: The sad ending of the book caused her to weep uncontrollably for ten minutes. / He found his mother sitting by the window and weeping uncontrollably.
Similar Expressions: Sob uncontrollably / Cry without stopping
19. Cry like a baby
Definition: To cry loudly and openly without trying to hide it, like an infant.
Used in a Sentence: Even tough adults will sometimes cry like a baby during very sad moments. / He scraped his knee so badly that he began to cry like a baby.
Similar Expressions: Cry like a child / Wail aloud
20. Wail at the top of your lungs
Definition: To make a loud, high-pitched crying sound expressing deep pain.
Used in a Sentence: The baby woke up from a nightmare and began to wail at the top of his lungs. / She stubbed her toe so hard that she wanted to wail at the top of her lungs.
Similar Expressions: Scream and cry / Cry out loudly
21. Shed bitter drops
Definition: To drop heavy tears filled with deep sorrow and regret.
Used in a Sentence: He sat by the old oak tree and shed bitter drops over missed opportunities. / She looked at the old photographs and quietly shed bitter drops.
Similar Expressions: Shed bitter tears / Drop heavy tears
22. Cry one’s soul out
Definition: To cry so deeply that it feels like your inner spirit is hurting.
Used in a Sentence: The tragic loss of her pet made her feel like she could cry her soul out. / He spent the rainy afternoon alone in his room trying to cry his soul out.
Similar Expressions: Cry your heart out / Weep deeply
23. Weep a flood
Definition: To release an enormous volume of tears because of immense grief.
Used in a Sentence: The sad news was enough to make anyone weep a flood of sorrow. / She felt like her eyes would never stop as she continued to weep a flood.
Similar Expressions: Cry an ocean / Cry buckets
24. Be in floods of tears
Definition: To be actively crying very hard with tears streaming continuously.
Used in a Sentence: When the teacher found her, she was sitting alone and was in floods of tears. / The heartbroken girl was in floods of tears all afternoon.
Similar Expressions: Be crying hard / Be sobbing heavily
25. Dissolve in tears
Definition: To melt away into heavy crying as your emotional strength fades.
Used in a Sentence: Upon hearing the kind message, she began to dissolve in tears of relief. / He tried to read the letter aloud, but he soon dissolved in tears.
Similar Expressions: Melt into tears / Break down crying
26. Melt into tears
Definition: To transition from holding emotions together to crying softly or heavily.
Used in a Sentence: The cold exterior melted into tears the moment her mother hugged her. / He listened to the sweet song and felt himself melt into tears.
Similar Expressions: Dissolve in tears / Soften and cry
27. Weep bitter tears of regret
Definition: To cry heavily because you wish you had made a different choice.
Used in a Sentence: He knew he would later weep bitter tears of regret if he cheated on the test. / She realized her mistake too late and began to weep bitter tears of regret.
Similar Expressions: Shed bitter tears / Cry over mistakes
28. Choke back sobs
Definition: To try hard to stop crying while making broken breathing sounds.
Used in a Sentence: She tried to choke back sobs during the serious class meeting. / He attempted to speak while trying to choke back sobs in his throat.
Similar Expressions: Fight back tears / Swallow your sobs
29. Fight back tears
Definition: To struggle against crying when you feel heavy sadness building up.
Used in a Sentence: He had to fight back tears while saying goodbye to his best friend. / She clenched her fists and tried to fight back tears during the speech.
Similar Expressions: Blink back tears / Hold back tears
30. Blink back tears
Definition: To quickly wink your eyes to stop tears from falling down your face.
Used in a Sentence: She stood tall on the stage and tried to blink back tears of joy. / He had to blink back tears when the principal called his name.
Similar Expressions: Fight back tears / Keep tears down
31. Cry your eyes red
Definition: To cry so much that the skin around your eyes turns pink or red.
Used in a Sentence: After studying all night and worrying, she cried her eyes red before the test. / He spent the whole weekend indoors watching sad films and cried his eyes red.
Similar Expressions: Weep till red / Cry yourself sore
32. Weep yourself to sleep
Definition: To keep crying in bed at night until you finally fall asleep.
Used in a Sentence: Missing her family during camp made her want to weep herself to sleep. / He was so lonely that first night in the dorm that he wept himself to sleep.
Similar Expressions: Cry yourself to sleep / Sob until sleeping
33. Cry yourself to sleep
Definition: To lie in bed weeping continuously until tiredness puts you to sleep.
Used in a Sentence: She pulled the blanket over her head and tried not to cry herself to sleep. / The bad news left him feeling so hopeless that he ended up crying himself to sleep.
Similar Expressions: Weep yourself to sleep / Sob through the night
34. Sob your lungs out
Definition: To cry with intense physical effort and deep breathing sounds.
Used in a Sentence: He dropped his ice cream cone on the hot pavement and began to sob his lungs out. / The toddler was tired and cranky, ready to sob his lungs out.
Similar Expressions: Cry your heart out / Bawl your eyes out
35. Wail in despair
Definition: To cry out loud with a miserable sound because hope is gone.
Used in a Sentence: Finding out the trip was cancelled made her want to wail in despair. / He could only sit on the ruined puzzle and wail in despair.
Similar Expressions: Cry in despair / Lament loudly
36. Pour out your grief
Definition: To let all your hidden sadness and heavy tears come flowing out.
Used in a Sentence: Sitting by the fireplace allowed her to pour out her grief in peace. / He finally opened up to his father and began to pour out his grief.
Similar Expressions: Release your sorrow / Cry out your pain
37. Give way to tears
Definition: To stop fighting your emotions and let yourself cry heavily.
Used in a Sentence: After hours of holding it in, she finally decided to give way to tears. / He could no longer act brave and had to give way to tears.
Similar Expressions: Yield to crying / Let go of restraint
38. Weep bitterly
Definition: To cry with a deep, aching feeling of harsh pain or sadness.
Used in a Sentence: The old man sat by the window and began to weep bitterly over the past. / She started to weep bitterly when she realized her lost ring was gone forever.
Similar Expressions: Cry bitterly / Sob bitterly
39. Shed a river of tears
Definition: To cry so much that your tears could fill up a small river bed.
Used in a Sentence: Leaving her hometown made her feel like she would shed a river of tears. / He thought his dramatic girlfriend would shed a river of tears over the broken vase.
Similar Expressions: Cry an ocean / Cry buckets
40. Wail like a banshee
Definition: To scream and cry in an extremely loud and spooky manner.
Used in a Sentence: The frightened child began to wail like a banshee during the thunderstorm. / When the ghost ride popped out, she started to wail like a banshee.
Similar Expressions: Scream loudly / Cry wildly
41. Bawl your head off
Definition: To scream and cry with all your physical might and energy.
Used in a Sentence: The baby decided to bawl his head off during the quiet airplane ride. / She stubbed her toe so badly that she sat on the rug to bawl her head off.
Similar Expressions: Cry your eyes out / Scream and weep
42. Sob uncontrollably into a pillow
Definition: To hide your face in a cushion so nobody hears your heavy crying.
Used in a Sentence: He felt so embarrassed that he ran upstairs to sob uncontrollably into a pillow. / She muffled her voice and began to sob uncontrollably into a pillow.
Similar Expressions: Hide your tears / Weep in secret
43. Cry fit to burst
Definition: To cry so hard and intensely that it feels like your chest might explode.
Used in a Sentence: The little girl was upset over her lost doll and began to cry fit to burst. / He laughed until he coughed and cried fit to burst from pure joy.
Similar Expressions: Cry extremely hard / Weep violently
44. Weep gallons
Definition: To produce an enormous quantity of tears during a sad moment.
Used in a Sentence: Watching the sad animal rescue commercial made her weep gallons. / He knew his sister would weep gallons during the wedding ceremony.
Similar Expressions: Cry buckets / Cry an ocean
45. Cry one’s eyes sore
Definition: To keep crying until your eyeballs and eyelids hurt from strain.
Used in a Sentence: Reading the tragic novel all night caused her to cry her eyes sore. / He spent hours crying his eyes sore over his broken skateboard.
Similar Expressions: Cry your eyes red / Strain your eyes weeping
46. Let loose a flood of tears
Definition: To suddenly release a massive wave of crying after holding it in.
Used in a Sentence: The comforting hug from her teacher made her let loose a flood of tears. / He opened the final letter and let loose a flood of tears.
Similar Expressions: Burst into tears / Release a wave of crying
47. Break down sobbing
Definition: To suddenly collapse emotionally and make heavy crying noises.
Used in a Sentence: She tried to read the poem, but she broke down sobbing halfway through. / The bad news caused him to drop his papers and break down sobbing.
Similar Expressions: Break down in tears / Start sobbing heavily
48. Cry tears of anguish
Definition: To shed tears caused by severe mental or physical suffering.
Used in a Sentence: He fell to his knees and cried tears of anguish after the accident. / She felt trapped and cried tears of anguish in her locked room.
Similar Expressions: Cry in pain / Weep in agony
49. Weep in despair
Definition: To cry quietly or loudly because you feel completely hopeless.
Used in a Sentence: Finding no way out of the maze, she sat down to weep in despair. / He stared at the ruined painting and began to weep in despair.
Similar Expressions: Cry in hopelessness / Wail in despair
50. Let the tears flow
Definition: To stop trying to stop your crying and let the water run down.
Used in a Sentence: It is best to just let the tears flow when you are sad instead of hiding them. / She closed her eyes and let the tears flow during the touching song.
Similar Expressions: Let it all out / Allow yourself to cry
Exercise to Practice
- The student felt so happy about his great grade that he began to weep his eyes out.
- The little boy fell off the playground slide and started to bawl his eyes out.
- She told her brother to stop complaining and not to cry a river over a lost pencil.
- The proud winner burst into tears of anger when receiving the gold medal.
- He would later shed bitter tears for not practicing his piano lessons all week.
- She hid in her cozy bedroom and let herself cry her heart out after losing her favorite book.
- The toddler was calm and quiet while he began to sob his heart out in the store.
- Her grief over the lost puppy was so deep that she let tears flood her face.
- He will probably cry buckets when his favorite soccer team loses the big championship.
- She put on the waterworks because she genuinely wanted to help clean the kitchen floor.
- It is totally normal to have a good cry when you are feeling stressed out by homework.
- He had to fight back tears while saying a happy goodbye to his visiting grandparents.
- Reading the sad puppy story all afternoon caused her to cry her eyes red.
- She missed her parents so much during the first night of sleepaway camp that she wept herself to sleep.
- The comforting hug from her teacher made her let loose a flood of tears.
Answer Key
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about crying hard helps you understand how people express deep emotions in stories, movies, and everyday conversations. Knowing these colorful phrases also makes your own writing much more descriptive and interesting to read.
Try picking one new idiom from the list today and use it when talking to a friend or writing a short story. Practicing them in real life is the best way to remember their meanings forever!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for crying hard?
Some of the most common expressions include weep your eyes out, bawl your eyes out, and cry buckets. People use these phrases to show that someone is shedding a large amount of tears.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language more colorful, creative, and expressive instead of using plain words. They help us share feelings and mental pictures more clearly with others.
Can idioms for crying hard be used in funny situations?
Yes, people sometimes use these dramatic phrases in a funny or exaggerated way for everyday minor problems. For example, someone might jokingly say they want to cry buckets over spilling a little milk.
How can I remember these idioms easily?
The best way to remember them is to connect each idiom to a mental picture or act it out in a sentence. Using them in your daily writing and reading will also help you master them quickly.
Are these idioms suitable for kids and students?
Yes, all the idioms in this list use simple, friendly English that is easy for kids, students, and language learners to understand. They provide safe and relatable examples for everyday school or home settings.
