weep

verb

ˈwēp 

wept ˈwept  ; weeping

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

2

a

: to give off or leak fluid slowly : ooze

b

of a fluid : to flow sluggishly or in drops

3

: to droop over : bend

Synonyms of weep

• drip
• bleed
• seep
• flow
• sweat
• exude
• ooze
• percolate

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Along the floor, everyone’s umbrellas wept watery dark flowers. —Literary Hub, 7 May 2026

Inside the team’s film room, Barry Mitchell’s son wept. —Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 May 2026

All that said, what most moved me about the film might’ve been the many shots of weeping teens in the audience. —Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Nearly a year ago, Stone wept with joy at the news that her old friend Robert Francis Prevost — born in Chicago and raised in south suburban Dolton — made history as the first American to be elected pope. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing weep

• weep hole

Rhymes for weep

• beep
• cheap
• creep
• deep
• heap
• jeep
• keep
• leap
• peep
• reap
• seep
• sheep

Kids Definition

weep

verb

ˈwēp 

wept ˈwept  ; weeping

1

: to show emotion and especially sorrow by shedding tears : cry

2

: to give off liquid slowly or in drops : ooze

a tree weeping sap

weeper noun

Medical Definition

weep

verb

ˈwēp 

wept ˈwept  ; weeping

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