crying

adjective

cry·​ing ˈkrī-iŋ How to pronounce crying (audio)
1
: calling for notice
a crying need
2
: notorious, heinous
a crying shame

Examples of crying in a Sentence

a crying need for more activities for young people in this town
Recent Examples on the Web But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages. Michael Granberry, Dallas News, 17 Jan. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crying.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crying was circa 1605

Dictionary Entries Near crying

Cite this Entry

“Crying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crying. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crying

adjective
cry·​ing ˈkrī-iŋ How to pronounce crying (audio)
1
: calling for attention and correction
a crying need
2
: notorious
a crying shame

More from Merriam-Webster on crying

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