SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

weep

verb
Save Word
\ ˈwēp How to pronounce weep (audio) \
wept\ ˈwept How to pronounce weep (audio) \; weeping

Definition of weep

transitive verb

1 : to express deep sorrow for usually by shedding tears : bewail weeping the sins and errors of his youth— Edward Gibbon
2 : to pour forth (tears) from the eyes
3 : to exude (a fluid) slowly : ooze a tree weeping sap

intransitive verb

1 : to express passion (such as grief) by shedding tears
2a : to give off or leak fluid slowly : ooze
b of a fluid : to flow sluggishly or in drops
3 : to droop over : bend
Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about weep

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of weep in a Sentence

He wept at the news of her death. She sat down and wept. He wept bitter tears of disappointment. The meringue will weep if you put it in the fridge.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web But do not weep, for its legacy continues with the new for the Kia K5. — Nicholas Wallace, Car and Driver, "Every New Mid-Size Family Sedan Ranked for 2021," 16 Jan. 2021 The point is: Make your own list, curate it with care, and find a corner in which to weep quietly for your own lost innocence. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "Forget your troubles, c’mon get happy," 13 Jan. 2021 The waiters would weep for lack of plates to carry, and who would the sommeliers talk to about the 2016 Harlan Estate, with its warm cassis notes and incredible structure? — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "You have very legit, totally OK reasons for attending a big French Laundry dinner party right now," 1 Dec. 2020 As Mamaw, the family’s indomitable matriarch, Close gets to sniffle, weep, curse, flip the bird and spout tough-love bromides. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "Amy Adams and Glenn Close act up a storm in Netflix’s woefully misguided ‘Hillbilly Elegy’," 11 Nov. 2020 Rain turning eye-salt to rivulets, rivulets to rivers wheresoever many weep as one. — Shawn Hubler, New York Times, "Verses vs. Virus: What These Poets Laureate Are Thankful For," 26 Nov. 2020 People weep and throw hundreds of flowers into the street. — Alegría Adedeji, Harper's BAZAAR, "Why Princess Diana Meant So Much to My Black British Mother," 24 Nov. 2020 Her mother laid her head against the steering wheel and began to weep. — Patricia Lockwood, The New Yorker, "The Winged Thing," 23 Nov. 2020 As Mamaw, the family’s indomitable matriarch, Close gets to sniffle, weep, curse, flip the bird and spout tough-love bromides. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "Amy Adams and Glenn Close act up a storm in Netflix’s woefully misguided ‘Hillbilly Elegy’," 11 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'weep.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of weep

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for weep

Middle English wepen, from Old English wēpan; akin to Old High German wuoffan to weep, Serbian & Croatian vapiti to cry out

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about weep

Time Traveler for weep

Time Traveler

The first known use of weep was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Statistics for weep

Last Updated

22 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Weep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weep. Accessed 22 Jan. 2021.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for weep

weep

verb
How to pronounce weep (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of weep

somewhat formal : to cry because you are very sad or are feeling some other strong emotion
: to produce a liquid slowly

See the full definition for weep in the English Language Learners Dictionary

weep

verb
\ ˈwēp How to pronounce weep (audio) \
wept\ ˈwept \; weeping

Kids Definition of weep

: to shed tears : cry

weep

verb
\ ˈwēp How to pronounce weep (audio) \
wept\ ˈwept How to pronounce weep (audio) \; weeping

Medical Definition of weep

transitive verb

1 : to pour forth (tears) from the eyes
2 : to exude (a fluid) slowly

intransitive verb

1 : to shed tears
2 : to exude a serous fluid a weeping burn

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on weep

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for weep

Nglish: Translation of weep for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of weep for Arabic Speakers

Comments on weep

What made you want to look up weep? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

sarcophagus

Listen to the pronunciation of sarcophagus

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times

  • ducreux self portrait yawning
  • What is an earlier meaning of nice?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games