Skip to main content
weeping

weeping

3.2
Showing sadness by crying
  • adjective
  • /ˈwiːpɪŋ/
translation icon : lloroso
  • After hearing the tragic news, his weeping expression revealed the pain he felt inside.

Examples

  • White tried to comfort his weeping wife, she bolted up, possessed by an idea.

  • Sad as Eros, builder of cities and weeping, anarchic Aphrodite.

  • The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries.

  • She is the weeping welkin, I the earth.

  • She sat quietly in the corner, her weeping figure reflecting the deep sadness in her heart.

  • The child's weeping made it clear that she was upset and needed comfort.

Synonyms

sad
vsweeping
1.0

Feeling unhappy or upset because of something

names visible sorrow with tears or deep facial expression rather than general unhappiness
in tears
vsweeping
64 2.0

Crying because you feel very sad or touched

refers to showing sorrow in appearance rather than only the act of crying
tearful
vsweeping
26 1.8

Showing you are about to cry because of a strong feeling

focuses on showing sorrow in face or tears rather than only having tears
teary
vsweeping
21 2.0

Having eyes that look ready to cry

emphasizes visible sorrow by tears or sad expression rather than watery eyes
weepy
vsweeping
20 3.7

Feeling like you want to cry easily

refers to showing sorrow in visible tears rather than a simple tendency to cry
mournful
vsweeping
18 3.9

Feeling deep sadness because of a loss

refers to visible sorrow by tears or sad expression rather than general sadness
sorrowful
vsweeping
14 3.6

Feeling very sad because of loss or disappointment

shows sorrow through tears or sad expression rather than only deep cause
teary-eyed
vsweeping
9 3.2

With eyes full of tears because of strong feeling or something in the eye

points to sorrow shown by tears or sad expression rather than eye wetness alone
tear-stained
vsweeping
2 3.7

Wet and marked from crying, often on cheeks or a pillow

describes showing sorrow by tears or expression rather than only physical marks
dolorous
vsweeping
  • Literature
1 9.9

Feeling or showing deep sadness because of a loss

expresses visible sorrow by tears or sad face rather than deep distress
lachrymose
vsweeping
  • Literature
1 9.9

Showing sadness or making people want to cry

focuses on showing sorrow by tears or expression rather than mainly causing tears
dolourous
vsweeping
  • Archaic
9.9

Full of deep sadness

shows sorrow by tears or sad expression rather than mainly causing sorrow
sorrowing
vsweeping
6.9

Feeling very sad because of a loss

is about showing sorrow by tears or sad face rather than long internal sadness
grieving
vsweeping
3.4

Feeling very sad after someone you love dies

describes visible sorrow through tears or expression rather than only loss related sorrow
lamenting
vsweeping
  • Formal
5.8

Having a sad sound like a soft song or cry that shows sadness

shows sorrow by tears or sad face rather than mainly by vocal expression

Antonyms

970 1.0

A feeling of pleasure and being satisfied

joy
793 1.0

A strong feeling of great happiness

Compounds

A tree with long hanging branches and thin leaves that often grows near water

A tree with long drooping branches and thin leaves often planted near ponds for shade

A type of beech tree with long drooping branches often grown in gardens

A grass that lives for many years from South Africa and grows in dense clumps to stop soil erosion

A medium-sized spruce tree with long hanging branches from California and Oregon

weeping tree broom
  • New Zealand
9.9

A small plant with drooping branches and purple to white flowers from New Zealand

7.7

A kind of willow tree that often grows upright rather than with hanging branches

How Tearful

sobbing
69 1.0
weeping
3.2
tearful
26 1.8
sorrowful
14 3.6
sad
1.0

Surface Forms

weeping positive

Morphology

weeping = weep (transparent) = weep + ing

The adjective is a straightforward participial use of 'weep' + '-ing'; learners who know 'weep' can derive 'weeping' meaning 'showing sorrow or tears'.

Etymology

Weeping comes from the old English verb weep, which meant 'to cry'. So a weeping person is showing sorrow with tears.