Synonyms of crying

crying 1 of 3

adjective

ˈkrī-iŋ 

as in urgent

needing immediate attention

a crying need for more activities for young people in this town

Synonyms & Similar Words

• urgent
• acute
• pressing
• intense
• desperate
• dire
• burning
• critical
• compelling
• emergent
• importunate
• instant
• serious
• imperative
• insistent
• clamant
• extreme
• demanding
• imperious
• immediate
• exigent
• overriding
• crucial
• necessitous
• severe
• dangerous
• grave
• life-and-death
• hazardous
• explosive
• precarious
• unstable
• perilous
• vital

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minor
• trivial
• unimportant
• negligible
• incidental
• noncritical
• safe
• nonurgent
• low-pressure
• stable
• nonthreatening

crying

2 of 3

noun

as in weeping

Related Words

• weeping
• sobbing
• whining
• whimpering
• blubbering
• sniveling
• wail
• groan
• yammering
• lamentation
• moan
• bawl
• shriek
• whine
• lament
• keen
• cry
• plaint
• whimper
• yelp
• yowl
• howl
• squall

Dissimilar Words

• laugh
• chuckle
• giggle
• guffaw
• snicker
• cackle
• titter
• twitter
• chortle
• snigger

crying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of cry

1

as in sobbing

to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress

some kids started to cry even before the doctor had given them their shot

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sobbing
• weeping
• screaming
• blubbering
• bawling
• grieving
• blubbing
• whimpering
• whining
• mourning
• groaning
• howling
• moaning
• lamenting
• wailing
• sighing
• squalling
• sniffling
• greeting
• keening
• sniveling
• bleating
• mewling
• puling
• yowling

2

as in singing

to utter one's distinctive animal sound

we knew that we were getting very close to the ocean when we could hear sea gulls crying

Synonyms & Similar Words

• singing
• calling

3

as in shouting

to speak so as to be heard at a distance

a mother crying for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shouting
• yelling
• screaming
• hollering
• calling
• bawling
• roaring
• bellowing
• thundering
• baying
• vociferating
• sounding off
• shrieking
• wailing
• holloing
• screeching
• whooping
• howling
• squealing
• squeaking
• crowing
• shrilling
• yowling
• hailing
• caterwauling
• ululating
• speaking out
• yawping
• speaking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• whispering
• breathing
• muttering
• murmuring
• mumbling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crying

Adjective

Some in the pro-crying camp pointed to articles and headlines as proof. — Jon Sarlin, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Noun

Wanner was taken by the suspect, leaving behind her 11-month-old daughter in a high chair, where she was later found crying and alone. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

After Messi and his team's loss to Saudi Arabia in November 2022, the athlete told reporters, per The Mirror, that Mateo left the stadium crying. — Karli Bendlin, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026

This is not the kid-crying, shoulder-to-shoulder type of resort; outside of newer guests, there are families who have been coming here for years and understand the groove of it all, from toddlers to teenagers. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026

According to the complaint, her brother, who has developmental disabilities, frequently interrupts class with his crying since his mother was detained. — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026

Affected babies may show symptoms including constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered crying, difficulty breathing, and generalized weakness. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026

There’s no crying in baseball, but Kim Ng works in softball now. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026

That was the signal for the crying and screaming to begin. — Annie Ernaux, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

The grieving in the sense of mourning and crying and all that might stop, but the pain is going to be there. — Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026

Verb

As they were displayed, Celeste’s mother lowered her head and started crying, Steinfeld said. — Jason Kravarik, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

The camera panned to one crying fan on the final whistle who blessed himself and fell to his knees to kiss the ground. — Reuters, NBC news, 27 July 2026

Rivas Hernandez’s mother began crying and her father looked down as the detective began describing the images. — Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Alexis recalled crying at her high-school graduation because Zeke wasn’t there to celebrate with her. — Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

The women went to the bathroom to mop the bottoms of their eyes, where their makeup was smeared from crying. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026

Sabrina Thompsen, of Madison, was crying at the memorial site. — ABC News, 23 July 2026

The two had just been out and seen an upset young kid who was crying and the mother who was trying to comfort her child. — Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

If the baby continues crying even after the bassinet reaches its highest soothing setting, parents receive an alert through the mobile app. — Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 20 July 2026