Crying is something we all experience in life, whether from sadness, joy, or overwhelming emotion — and sometimes, just saying “I cried” doesn’t quite explain how intense or powerful those feelings really were.
That’s why similes are such a helpful tool — they allow us to compare our emotions to vivid, familiar images using the words “like” or “as,” painting a clearer picture of exactly how we feel inside.
In this article, you’ll find 54 unique similes for crying that help capture different kinds of tears — from soft sobs to loud wails. Each simile comes with its meaning, a full example sentence, and a few other ways to say it, so you can express yourself clearly and creatively. Let’s explore what crying can really sound and feel like — through the power of similes.
Similes for Crying
1. Crying like a baby
Meaning: Crying loudly and without holding back.
In a Sentence: After she fell and scraped her knee, she started crying like a baby who missed their nap and needed a cuddle.
Other Ways to Say: Wailing loudly, Sobbing uncontrollably
2. Crying like a rainstorm
Meaning: Crying heavily, with tears flowing like heavy rain.
In a Sentence: He cried like a rainstorm after hearing the heartbreaking news, his tears pouring down just like summer rain from a dark sky.
Other Ways to Say: Flooded with tears, Weeping like the sky opened up
3. Crying like a broken heart sings
Meaning: Crying with emotional pain that feels too big to carry.
In a Sentence: She was crying like a broken heart sings, each sob a sad note of the pain she couldn’t put into words.
Other Ways to Say: Crying with heartache, Letting pain spill out
4. Crying like a cloud releasing its weight
Meaning: Crying with relief or sorrow that finally spills over.
In a Sentence: After holding it in for so long, he cried like a cloud releasing its weight, slowly but steadily letting go of the pressure inside.
Other Ways to Say: Letting tears fall, Releasing the storm inside
5. Crying like a faucet left on
Meaning: Crying nonstop without being able to stop the flow of tears.
In a Sentence: She was crying like a faucet left on, the tears just kept coming, steady and unstoppable.
Other Ways to Say: Nonstop crying, Weeping endlessly
6. Crying like thunder follows lightning
Meaning: Crying immediately after something shocking or painful happens.
In a Sentence: When he heard the sudden bad news, the tears came fast — crying like thunder follows lightning, raw and loud.
Other Ways to Say: Quick and intense crying, Crying with shock
7. Crying like a violin’s sad song
Meaning: Crying in a soft, sorrowful way that carries deep emotion.
In a Sentence: She sat alone in her room, crying like a violin’s sad song playing in the background of a lonely movie scene.
Other Ways to Say: Crying quietly, Mourning with grace
8. Crying like a storm in the sea
Meaning: Crying with powerful waves of emotion, chaotic and deep.
In a Sentence: His chest shook as he cried like a storm in the sea, every breath crashing like a wave against his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Drowning in emotion, Overwhelmed with grief
9. Crying like a wolf howling at the moon
Meaning: Crying with deep longing, loneliness, or pain.
In a Sentence: She looked out into the night, crying like a wolf howling at the moon, her sorrow echoing into the dark.
Other Ways to Say: Crying with loneliness, Longing in silence
10. Crying like autumn leaves fall
Meaning: Crying gently and steadily, without resistance.
In a Sentence: The tears slid down his face, crying like autumn leaves fall from the trees — soft, slow, and peaceful.
Other Ways to Say: Crying quietly, Letting go softly
11. Crying like wind through the trees
Meaning: Crying in a whispering, haunting, emotional way.
In a Sentence: She was crying like wind through the trees — quiet but powerful, brushing against your heart before you knew it.
Other Ways to Say: Whispering tears, Soft weeping
12. Crying like the sky lost its sun
Meaning: Crying with deep sorrow or despair.
In a Sentence: After the funeral, he sat in silence, crying like the sky lost its sun — grey, heavy, and broken.
Other Ways to Say: Mourning deeply, Lost in sorrow
13. Crying like ink bleeding from a pen
Meaning: Crying with a slow, expressive sadness.
In a Sentence: Her tears came out slowly, crying like ink bleeding from a pen across an unfinished love letter.
Other Ways to Say: Writing sadness, Expressing pain through tears
14. Crying like shattered glass
Meaning: Crying suddenly, painfully, and with a broken feeling.
In a Sentence: When the truth hit him, he started crying like shattered glass — quick, sharp, and full of pain.
Other Ways to Say: Broken-hearted, Crying with sudden hurt
15. Crying like snow melting in spring
Meaning: Crying with quiet release after holding in sadness for a long time.
In a Sentence: She finally opened up, crying like snow melting in spring, the sadness slowly leaving after a long, cold silence.
Other Ways to Say: Letting go of sorrow, Crying gently over time
16. Crying like a candle in the wind
Meaning: Crying with flickering emotions that are delicate and unsteady.
In a Sentence: His voice trembled as he cried like a candle in the wind, unsure if the flame of his strength could hold on.
Other Ways to Say: Fragile sadness, Flickering grief
17. Crying like a song with no words
Meaning: Crying without being able to explain why, just feeling.
In a Sentence: She couldn’t speak, but she cried like a song with no words — every tear telling a story the silence couldn’t.
Other Ways to Say: Speechless sorrow, Silent crying
18. Crying like petals fall from a dying rose
Meaning: Crying softly, slowly, with beauty and heartbreak.
In a Sentence: Her eyes glistened as she cried like petals fall from a dying rose — graceful, aching, and impossible to stop.
Other Ways to Say: Crying with beauty, Slow heartbreak
19. Crying like a river bursting its banks
Meaning: Crying uncontrollably, as if emotions are too strong to hold back.
In a Sentence: He was crying like a river bursting its banks, the flood of his emotions spilling out with no way to stop it.
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed with emotion, Flooding with tears
20. Crying like an actress in a tragedy
Meaning: Crying dramatically and emotionally, as if on stage.
In a Sentence: She was crying like an actress in a tragedy, every sob filled with emotion as though the whole world was watching.
Other Ways to Say: Crying dramatically, Performing grief
21. Crying like a mother missing her child
Meaning: Crying with deep, aching emotional pain.
In a Sentence: He sat by the window, crying like a mother missing her child, each tear heavy with longing and love.
Other Ways to Say: Crying from the soul, Mourning deeply
22. Crying like glass fogging up with breath
Meaning: Crying quietly, softly, like a whisper of sadness.
In a Sentence: She was crying like glass fogging up with breath, slow and steady tears clouding her eyes just like mist.
Other Ways to Say: Quiet weeping, Whispering sadness
23. Crying like a wilted flower in the sun
Meaning: Crying from emotional exhaustion or sadness.
In a Sentence: He looked worn and tired, crying like a wilted flower in the sun, fading under the weight of his feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionally drained, Sad and fading
24. Crying like a haunted melody
Meaning: Crying with a deep, lingering sorrow that sticks with you.
In a Sentence: Her cries echoed in the hallway like a haunted melody, staying in the air long after the sound had faded.
Other Ways to Say: Crying with lingering pain, Emotion that echoes
25. Crying like a sky begging for stars
Meaning: Crying with loneliness and yearning.
In a Sentence: She felt empty inside, crying like a sky begging for stars to come back and light it up.
Other Ways to Say: Crying with longing, Empty and sad
26. Crying like thunder trapped in a jar
Meaning: Crying loudly, as if powerful emotion is being contained.
In a Sentence: He was crying like thunder trapped in a jar, his sobs loud and trembling inside a body trying to hold it in.
Other Ways to Say: Contained but powerful, Shaking with sorrow
27. Crying like a mirror breaking in silence
Meaning: Crying quietly, but with emotional shattering inside.
In a Sentence: She didn’t make a sound, but she was crying like a mirror breaking in silence, her heart cracking behind her calm face.
Other Ways to Say: Shattered inside, Breaking silently
28. Crying like a farewell at the airport
Meaning: Crying with emotion at a goodbye that’s hard to accept.
In a Sentence: As they hugged goodbye, she was crying like a farewell at the airport, the kind of tears that make your chest tighten.
Other Ways to Say: Sad goodbye tears, Emotional farewell
29. Crying like a lullaby turned to sorrow
Meaning: Crying gently, as if once calm but now filled with sadness.
In a Sentence: The room was quiet except for her crying like a lullaby turned to sorrow, every tear soft but aching.
Other Ways to Say: Gentle weeping, Tears in a whisper
30. Crying like a book with no ending
Meaning: Crying with unfinished emotions and unresolved pain.
In a Sentence: He was crying like a book with no ending, lost in chapters of pain that never found closure.
Other Ways to Say: Incomplete sorrow, Still hurting
31. Crying like dusk falling over the day
Meaning: Crying with slow, fading sadness.
In a Sentence: As the sun disappeared, she was crying like dusk falling over the day — soft, slow, and quiet.
Other Ways to Say: Gentle sadness, Fading emotion
32. Crying like echoes in an empty hall
Meaning: Crying with loneliness, each sob bouncing back in silence.
In a Sentence: He sat alone, crying like echoes in an empty hall, each tear answered only by silence.
Other Ways to Say: Lonely crying, Isolated sorrow
33. Crying like wind blowing out a flame
Meaning: Crying as if something inside is going out or fading.
In a Sentence: Her eyes closed slowly, crying like wind blowing out a flame, the spark of her joy slipping away.
Other Ways to Say: Fading inside, Losing light
34. Crying like a movie in slow motion
Meaning: Crying with dramatic, drawn-out emotion.
In a Sentence: The moment stretched on, and he was crying like a movie in slow motion, every tear falling like a scene you couldn’t skip.
Other Ways to Say: Dramatic sorrow, Slow and cinematic
35. Crying like a moon missing its stars
Meaning: Crying from emptiness and longing for connection.
In a Sentence: She looked up into the night, crying like a moon missing its stars, her sadness shining through the dark.
Other Ways to Say: Longing tears, Feeling incomplete
36. Crying like bedtime with no story
Meaning: Crying from disappointment or emotional letdown.
In a Sentence: He curled up in his blanket, crying like bedtime with no story, feeling like something special had been forgotten.
Other Ways to Say: Quiet disappointment, Missing something
37. Crying like a child lost in a crowd
Meaning: Crying with fear and confusion.
In a Sentence: She was crying like a child lost in a crowd, eyes wide and searching for comfort in a world that suddenly felt too big.
Other Ways to Say: Crying in fear, Searching for safety
38. Crying like a book soaked in rain
Meaning: Crying in a way that blurs everything, just like tears soaking pages.
In a Sentence: His emotions spilled out, crying like a book soaked in rain, pages of his heart smudged and unreadable.
Other Ways to Say: Tears everywhere, Story washed away
39. Crying like a soul with no home
Meaning: Crying with deep, aching loneliness or loss.
In a Sentence: She was crying like a soul with no home, her heart wandering through memories that no longer had a place to live.
Other Ways to Say: Homeless emotion, Crying from the core
40. Crying like a bell ringing in the fog
Meaning: Crying in a distant, echoing, and unclear way.
In a Sentence: He was crying like a bell ringing in the fog, the sadness sounding far away but still reaching your heart.
Other Ways to Say: Crying softly, Distant emotion
41. Crying like puzzle pieces falling apart
Meaning: Crying from confusion or when things no longer make sense.
In a Sentence: She was crying like puzzle pieces falling apart, the picture of her world crumbling with every tear.
Other Ways to Say: Broken connections, Disoriented sadness
42. Crying like a letter never sent
Meaning: Crying over feelings that were never expressed.
In a Sentence: He sat in silence, crying like a letter never sent — full of words that no one would ever read.
Other Ways to Say: Unsent emotions, Hidden heartbreak
43. Crying like a star fading at dawn
Meaning: Crying quietly as something beautiful comes to an end.
In a Sentence: She smiled through her tears, crying like a star fading at dawn, knowing the moment had passed but feeling grateful it ever shone.
Other Ways to Say: Bittersweet crying, Graceful farewell
44. Crying like petals torn from a rose
Meaning: Crying with pain that feels delicate and personal.
In a Sentence: He was crying like petals torn from a rose, each sob taking something soft and beautiful with it.
Other Ways to Say: Fragile sadness, Gentle pain
45. Crying like an unfinished lullaby
Meaning: Crying with the feeling of something left incomplete.
In a Sentence: She lay there in the dark, crying like an unfinished lullaby, the peace never quite arriving.
Other Ways to Say: Sad interruption, Longing for closure
46. Crying like a memory that won’t fade
Meaning: Crying over something you can’t forget.
In a Sentence: His tears fell quietly, crying like a memory that won’t fade no matter how much time passes.
Other Ways to Say: Crying from the past, Long-lasting sadness
47. Crying like a ghost calling through time
Meaning: Crying with pain that feels timeless and echoing.
In a Sentence: She felt the grief rise again, crying like a ghost calling through time — distant, aching, but still real.
Other Ways to Say: Haunting emotion, Timeless sorrow
48. Crying like an old house creaking in the wind
Meaning: Crying slowly, with weariness and age.
In a Sentence: His voice cracked as he cried like an old house creaking in the wind, each sound carrying years of quiet pain.
Other Ways to Say: Tired sadness, Heavy-hearted crying
49. Crying like a window catching rain
Meaning: Crying gently as tears slide down like raindrops.
In a Sentence: She looked out at the storm, crying like a window catching rain, her tears blending into the glass like they belonged there.
Other Ways to Say: Soft crying, Blending into the sadness
50. Crying like a forgotten song
Meaning: Crying with the sorrow of being overlooked or lost.
In a Sentence: He was crying like a forgotten song, once full of joy, now echoing with quiet sadness.
Other Ways to Say: Lost emotion, Fading feeling
51. Crying like the tide pulling away
Meaning: Crying with quiet, steady emotion that leaves you feeling empty.
In a Sentence: She was crying like the tide pulling away, leaving behind silence and scattered shells of her heart.
Other Ways to Say: Slow sadness, Quiet departure
52. Crying like bedtime tears on a pillow
Meaning: Crying in solitude and silence at night.
In a Sentence: Alone in the dark, he was crying like bedtime tears on a pillow, hiding his pain under the quiet hum of night.
Other Ways to Say: Private crying, Nighttime sadness
53. Crying like leaves rustling after a storm
Meaning: Crying softly after intense emotion has passed.
In a Sentence: She let herself cry like leaves rustling after a storm, just the final tremble of feelings that had shaken her deeply.
Other Ways to Say: Calming down, Residual sadness
54. Crying like a goodbye that never came
Meaning: Crying for something that ended without closure.
In a Sentence: He was crying like a goodbye that never came, holding on to words that were never spoken but still needed to be heard.
Other Ways to Say: Unfinished endings, Silent heartbreak
Practical Exercise
Try completing each sentence with one of the similes you just learned:
- When she opened the old photo album, she started crying like a _______.
- He looked out the rainy window, crying like a _______.
- After the performance ended, she sat backstage crying like a _______.
- When I saw my best friend leave, I was crying like a _______.
- He held the letter in his hand, crying like a _______.
- She curled up in bed, crying like a _______ after the story ended too soon.
- I felt the tears come out, crying like a _______ when the music stopped.
- He was crying like a _______ as he let go of the past.
- After the final goodbye, she was crying like a _______.
- I watched the candle flicker and felt myself crying like a _______.
Suggested Answers:
rainstorm, window catching rain, actress in a tragedy, farewell at the airport, letter never sent, bedtime tears on a pillow, forgotten song, tide pulling away, goodbye that never came, candle in the wind
Conclusion
Similes allow us to describe crying not just as a simple act, but as an emotional story unfolding — whether it’s quiet, loud, soft, or powerful. They help us turn our feelings into vivid images that others can see, feel, and understand.
So the next time your heart feels heavy and the tears come, remember: you can be crying like a rainstorm, like a candle in the wind, or like a goodbye that never came. Each simile brings life and meaning to the tears we all shed. Keep using these expressive phrases to better connect with your emotions — and maybe even help someone else understand theirs too.