Crying is a powerful expression of emotion, if it’s tears of sorrow, joy, or frustration. But how do we describe it in words? That’s where similes come in!
From “crying like a stormy sky” to “tears flowing like a broken dam,” similes paint vivid pictures of our deepest emotions.
In this list, you’ll discover the best similes for crying that perfectly capture the intensity of every tear. Get ready to explore expressions that bring emotions to life! 💔✨
As sorrowful as a rainstorm
Meaning:
This simile evokes the feeling of sadness that is as constant and heavy as rainfall.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as sorrowful as a rainstorm after hearing the news of her old friend’s passing.
- Creative writing: His heart felt as sorrowful as a rainstorm, the tears flowing endlessly like the downpour outside.
Other Ways to Say:
- As bleak as a cloudy sky 🌧️
- As heavy as a storm cloud ⛈️
As heartbroken as a broken glass
Meaning:
This simile represents a deep, sharp emotional pain, similar to the way glass shatters upon impact.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: After the breakup, he felt as heartbroken as a broken glass, shattered and irreparable.
- Creative writing: Her spirit was as heartbroken as a broken glass, each piece of her soul lost to the wind.
Other Ways to Say:
- As shattered as a cracked mirror 🪞
- As destroyed as a crumbled statue 🏛️
As weepy as a wilted flower
Meaning:
This simile suggests tears that come from weakness or sadness, just like a flower wilting due to lack of care.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as weepy as a wilted flower after hearing the sad story.
- Creative writing: His eyes were as weepy as a wilted flower, and his tears seemed to fall like raindrops.
Other Ways to Say:
- As fragile as a dying rose 🌹
- As fragile as a drooping lily 🌸
As tearful as a rainy window
Meaning:
This simile compares tears that run down one’s face to raindrops sliding down a window, indicating sadness and emotional release.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: His face was as tearful as a rainy window after his favorite pet passed away.
- Creative writing: She sat there, her face as tearful as a rainy window, the drops of emotion flowing freely.
Other Ways to Say:
- As full of tears as a flooded river 🌊
- As wet as a soaking rain 🌧️
As mournful as a funeral bell
Meaning:
This simile is used to describe deep sorrow or sadness, similar to the toll of a bell at a funeral.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her voice was as mournful as a funeral bell when she spoke about her lost childhood.
- Creative writing: His cry was as mournful as a funeral bell, echoing through the empty hall like the end of an era.
Other Ways to Say:
- As somber as a darkened church ⛪
- As sorrowful as a sad lullaby 🎶
As despondent as a withered tree
Meaning:
This simile suggests sadness so deep that it resembles a lifeless, bare tree—devoid of hope or energy.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: After hearing the bad news, she felt as despondent as a withered tree in winter.
- Creative writing: His soul was as despondent as a withered tree, stripped of all its leaves and vibrancy.
Other Ways to Say:
- As bleak as an autumn forest 🍂
- As empty as a barren field 🌾
As anguished as a broken heart
Meaning:
This simile directly connects the feeling of heartache with the image of a heart being physically shattered, symbolizing intense pain.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as anguished as a broken heart, unable to stop crying after her father’s passing.
- Creative writing: His soul was as anguished as a broken heart, each tear an echo of his loss.
Other Ways to Say:
- As torn as a shredded letter 📜
- As painful as a cut to the soul 💔
As upset as a thunderstorm
Meaning:
This simile represents intense emotional turmoil, like the unpredictable and violent nature of a thunderstorm.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: He was as upset as a thunderstorm when his plans were ruined at the last moment.
- Creative writing: She felt as upset as a thunderstorm, her emotions crackling like thunder with every passing minute.
Other Ways to Say:
- As disturbed as a tornado 🌪️
- As volatile as a volcanic eruption 🌋
As frail as a paper tear
Meaning:
This simile emphasizes the vulnerability and fragility of one’s emotions, as delicate as the tear in paper.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: He felt as frail as a paper tear when he had to leave his hometown.
- Creative writing: She stood there, as frail as a paper tear, the weight of her emotions threatening to undo her.
Other Ways to Say:
- As delicate as a spider’s web 🕸️
- As fragile as a soap bubble 🫧
As broken as a fallen angel
Meaning:
This simile represents a person who is deeply troubled or devastated, as if they have lost their way.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: After the tragedy, she felt as broken as a fallen angel, unsure how to move forward.
- Creative writing: His spirit felt as broken as a fallen angel, unable to find redemption or peace.
Other Ways to Say:
- As shattered as a lost star ✨
- As lost as a wandering soul 👻
As helpless as a lost puppy
Meaning:
This simile conveys a feeling of vulnerability and confusion, similar to a puppy separated from its owner.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as helpless as a lost puppy when she found herself alone in the unfamiliar city.
- Creative writing: His tears flowed, and he felt as helpless as a lost puppy, unsure of how to find his way back to peace.
Other Ways to Say:
- As vulnerable as a newborn lamb 🐑
- As small as a lone kitten 🐱
12. As hopeless as an abandoned ship
Meaning:
This simile suggests a sense of despair and abandonment, as though there is no escape from the situation.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: When she lost her job, she felt as hopeless as an abandoned ship drifting at sea.
- Creative writing: He stared at the wreckage, feeling as hopeless as an abandoned ship, lost to the tides of fate.
Other Ways to Say:
- As deserted as a forgotten island 🏝️
- As stranded as a castaway 🚢
As sorrowful as a deserted street
Meaning:
This simile conveys sadness and loneliness, much like an empty street after everyone has left.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her face was as sorrowful as a deserted street, as if nothing could ever bring her joy again.
- Creative writing: His heart was as sorrowful as a deserted street, echoing only with the footsteps of lost memories.
Other Ways to Say:
- As empty as a vacant lot 🏚️
- As quiet as an abandoned house 🏚️
As melancholic as a fading sunset
Meaning:
This simile conveys the beauty and sadness of a sunset slowly fading away, symbolizing an inevitable ending.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: His eyes were as melancholic as a fading sunset, as if he knew something precious was slipping away.
- Creative writing: The evening sky was as melancholic as a fading sunset, each moment of beauty slipping into the darkness of night.
Other Ways to Say:
- As bittersweet as the dusk 🌇
- As fleeting as the twilight 🌅
As teary-eyed as a movie character
Meaning:
This simile compares someone’s crying to the exaggerated emotion seen in movie characters, often representing dramatic sadness.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as teary-eyed as a movie character, her face a perfect picture of sorrow.
- Creative writing: His eyes were as teary-eyed as a movie character, every drop of emotion spilling over like a scene from a tragedy.
Other Ways to Say:
- As dramatic as a soap opera actress 🎬
- As emotional as a tear-jerking scene 🎥
As heavy as a stone in the heart
Meaning:
This simile reflects a feeling of emotional burden, similar to the weight of a stone on one’s chest.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: After hearing the sad news, her heart felt as heavy as a stone, struggling to carry the weight of her sorrow.
- Creative writing: His grief was as heavy as a stone in the heart, each step forward feeling like an insurmountable task.
Other Ways to Say:
- As burdensome as a mountain on the soul 🏔️
- As weighty as a brick in the chest 🧱
As sad as a forgotten toy
Meaning:
This simile suggests the feeling of neglect or abandonment, like a toy left unused and forgotten in a corner.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She felt as sad as a forgotten toy, tossed aside when no one wanted her anymore.
- Creative writing: His heart was as sad as a forgotten toy, gathering dust in a dark, empty room.
Other Ways to Say:
- As lonely as a castaway doll 🧸
- As neglected as an old, broken clock 🕰️
As lonely as a single star in the sky
Meaning:
This simile highlights an intense feeling of isolation and loneliness, as if one is the only presence in an expansive, empty space.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: After the breakup, he felt as lonely as a single star in the sky, surrounded by darkness.
- Creative writing: Her tears fell, and she felt as lonely as a single star in the sky, no one else to share her sorrow.
Other Ways to Say:
- As isolated as a solitary moon 🌙
- As distant as a faraway comet 🌠
As broken as a shattered mirror
Meaning:
This simile describes a person feeling completely shattered, with no way to put themselves back together, much like a broken mirror.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: He was as broken as a shattered mirror, every piece of him reflecting his grief.
- Creative writing: Her heart was as broken as a shattered mirror, fractured and distorted beyond repair.
Other Ways to Say:
- As fractured as a cracked vase 🏺
- As ruined as a collapsed building 🏚️
As heavy as a mountain of sadness
Meaning:
This simile represents overwhelming grief or emotional burden, as if the weight of sadness is as heavy as a mountain.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her heart felt as heavy as a mountain of sadness, too much to bear.
- Creative writing: He walked through life with a heart as heavy as a mountain of sadness, each step an effort.
Other Ways to Say:
- As overwhelming as a tidal wave 🌊
- As suffocating as an avalanche 🏔️
As cold as a winter night
Meaning:
This simile conveys the emotional numbness and isolation that often accompany sadness or crying, like the chill of a cold night.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She felt as cold as a winter night, her tears freezing on her cheeks as she stood alone in the snow.
- Creative writing: His soul was as cold as a winter night, each tear falling like an icicle from his face.
Other Ways to Say:
- As frosty as a snowstorm ❄️
- As freezing as the North Pole 🧊
As tender as a bruise
Meaning:
This simile emphasizes the emotional pain of crying, likening it to the sensitivity and tenderness of a bruise on the body.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her words were as tender as a bruise, the pain still fresh and raw from the hurt she had endured.
- Creative writing: He clutched his chest, his heart as tender as a bruise, each beat reminding him of the sadness that lingered.
Other Ways to Say:
- As sore as a scraped knee 🦵
- As sensitive as a fresh wound 🩹
As helpless as a child lost in a crowd
Meaning:
This simile compares the feeling of vulnerability and emotional overwhelm to a child who cannot find their way in a crowd.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She felt as helpless as a child lost in a crowd, unsure of how to find her way through the grief.
- Creative writing: His tears were as helpless as a child lost in a crowd, unsure of how to deal with the emotions swirling inside him.
Other Ways to Say:
- As scared as a puppy at the vet 🐶
- As confused as a kitten in a new home 🐱
As fragile as a delicate snowflake
Meaning:
This simile highlights how easily emotions can break or melt under stress, like a snowflake that shatters upon contact.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as fragile as a delicate snowflake, her emotions ready to crumble at any moment.
- Creative writing: His soul was as fragile as a delicate snowflake, each tear melting away the remnants of his strength.
Other Ways to Say:
- As tender as a glass ornament 🎄
- As breakable as a china cup ☕
As pale as a ghost
Meaning:
This simile describes the physical manifestation of sadness, comparing someone’s appearance to the pale, haunting look of a ghost.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She looked as pale as a ghost, her face drained of all color after the news.
- Creative writing: He appeared as pale as a ghost, his grief robbing him of life and vitality.
Other Ways to Say:
- As drained as a fading flower 🌺
- As colorless as a blank canvas 🎨
As silent as a grave
Meaning:
This simile refers to the quietude and stillness that often accompanies sorrow, like the absolute silence of a graveyard.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: The room was as silent as a grave after she received the devastating news.
- Creative writing: His grief was as silent as a grave, consuming him from within without a word escaping his lips.
Other Ways to Say:
- As quiet as a sleeping forest 🌳
- As peaceful as a deserted beach 🌴
As unpredictable as a storm
Meaning:
This simile illustrates the emotional turbulence that can come with crying, likening it to a storm that cannot be controlled.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her emotions were as unpredictable as a storm, changing in an instant from joy to sorrow.
- Creative writing: His tears were as unpredictable as a storm, flooding his face with emotions he couldn’t contain.
Other Ways to Say:
- As chaotic as a hurricane 🌀
- As wild as a thunderstorm ⚡
As fragile as a flower in a storm
Meaning:
This simile represents someone or something delicate that is easily overwhelmed by emotional challenges or stress, much like a fragile flower in a violent storm.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as fragile as a flower in a storm, torn apart by the intensity of her emotions.
- Creative writing: His heart felt as fragile as a flower in a storm, its petals torn away with every blow of grief.
Other Ways to Say:
- As vulnerable as a sapling in the wind 🌳
- As delicate as a butterfly’s wing 🦋
As heavy as a broken heart
Meaning:
This simile captures the emotional weight of sorrow, comparing it to the unbearable heaviness of a broken heart.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her heart felt as heavy as a broken heart, weighed down by the loss of her best friend.
- Creative writing: He carried his grief with him, his steps as heavy as a broken heart, each one a reminder of what he had lost.
Other Ways to Say:
- As burdensome as an anchor ⚓
- As weighty as a mountain 💎
As dark as a moonless night
Meaning:
This simile conveys the feeling of emotional despair, suggesting a complete absence of light or hope, just like a moonless night.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: Her thoughts were as dark as a moonless night, filled with sadness and uncertainty.
- Creative writing: His soul felt as dark as a moonless night, every tear falling into the abyss of hopelessness.
Other Ways to Say:
- As bleak as the darkest tunnel 🚇
- As shadowy as a deep cave 🏞️
As sad as a broken record
Meaning:
This simile conveys the repetitive nature of sadness, as if the person’s heartache is stuck in a loop, much like a skipping record.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: He felt as sad as a broken record, unable to move on from his grief.
- Creative writing: Her sadness echoed in her chest, as sad as a broken record that could not stop playing.
Other Ways to Say:
- As stuck as a faulty tape 🎶
- As repeating as a skipped song 🎧
As distressed as a trapped animal
Meaning:
This simile represents the panic and helplessness often felt during intense emotional experiences, much like an animal trapped and unable to escape.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: He was as distressed as a trapped animal, unable to understand why things had turned so wrong.
- Creative writing: Her tears fell, and she felt as distressed as a trapped animal, her emotions clawing at her from the inside.
Other Ways to Say:
- As panicked as a bird in a cage 🐦
- As frantic as a cat caught in a net 🐱
As crushed as a fallen leaf
Meaning:
This simile emphasizes the feeling of being overwhelmed or defeated, similar to how a leaf gets crushed underfoot in autumn.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: His spirit felt as crushed as a fallen leaf, unable to rise after the devastating loss.
- Creative writing: Her heart was as crushed as a fallen leaf, each step she took leaving it more battered and bruised.
Other Ways to Say:
- As flattened as a broken petal 🌸
- As crushed as a dried flower 🌺
As sorrowful as a funeral procession
Meaning:
This simile uses the image of a funeral procession to depict deep mourning and the slow, heavy nature of sorrow.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She walked through the house, as sorrowful as a funeral procession, knowing she’d never see him again.
- Creative writing: His tears were as sorrowful as a funeral procession, dragging him through a sea of grief with every step.
Other Ways to Say:
- As grieving as a widower 🖤
- As mourning as a lost soul 💀
As vulnerable as a child without their blanket
Meaning:
This simile represents a deep sense of vulnerability and emotional rawness, akin to a child who has lost their source of comfort.
Example Sentences:
- Casual conversation: She was as vulnerable as a child without their blanket, exposed and open to the cold.
- Creative writing: His heart was as vulnerable as a child without their blanket, naked before the world’s harshness.
Other Ways to Say:
- As exposed as a bird without feathers 🦅
- As unprotected as a kitten without its mother 🐱
Practical Exercise: Similes for Crying 😢
1. Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences using a suitable simile for crying:
a) She cried like __________, unable to stop the flood of tears.
b) His tears flowed like __________, unstoppable and full of emotion.
c) The baby was crying like __________, loud and relentless.
d) Tears rolled down her cheeks like __________, shining under the moonlight.
e) He wept as if __________, his sorrow too heavy to bear.
2. Multiple Choice
Choose the best simile to complete the sentence.
- When she heard the sad news, she cried like __________.
a) A river breaking its banks
b) A sunny day
c) A frozen lake - His tears flowed like __________ after his team lost the final match.
a) A waterfall crashing down the rocks
b) A desert without rain
c) A locked treasure chest - The child cried like __________ after dropping his ice cream.
a) A thunderstorm in the summer
b) A mountain standing tall
c) A tree in the wind - Tears streamed down her face like __________.
a) A river rushing to the sea
b) A candle burning brightly
c) A cloud floating in the sky - He sobbed as if __________.
a) The whole world was ending
b) He had won the lottery
c) He was walking on air
3. Match the Simile
Match each crying situation with the correct simile:
| Situation | Simile |
|---|---|
| Crying uncontrollably | Like a waterfall crashing down |
| Silent, slow tears | Like raindrops sliding down a window |
| Crying loudly and dramatically | Like a siren wailing in the night |
| Deep sobs from heartbreak | Like thunder rumbling through the sky |
| Crying that suddenly stops and starts | Like waves crashing against the shore |
4. True or False
Decide if the following statements about similes for crying are True (T) or False (F):
- “She cried like a dam breaking” means she cried a little. (T/F)
- “His tears flowed like a waterfall” describes heavy crying. (T/F)
- “She cried like a whisper in the wind” suggests loud sobbing. (T/F)
- “Tears rolled down his cheeks like falling stars” is a poetic way to describe gentle crying. (T/F)
- “He wept like a bird singing in the morning” is a common simile for crying. (T/F)
Answers:
Fill in the Blanks (Possible Answers):
a) A stormy sky
b) A waterfall
c) A fire alarm
d) Silver raindrops
e) The world had ended
Multiple Choice:
- a) A river breaking its banks
- a) A waterfall crashing down the rocks
- a) A thunderstorm in the summer
- a) A river rushing to the sea
- a) The whole world was ending
Match the Simile:
1 → Like a waterfall crashing down
2 → Like raindrops sliding down a window
3 → Like a siren wailing in the night
4 → Like thunder rumbling through the sky
5 → Like waves crashing against the shore
True or False:
- F
- T
- F
- T
- F
Conclusion
Similes are powerful tools that enhance the way we express emotions, particularly in writing and conversation.
By using vivid comparisons, similes make it easier for others to connect with and understand the depth of our feelings.
In this article, we’ve explored similes for crying, each providing unique and creative ways to describe sorrow, loss, or emotional overwhelm.
If you’re writing a novel, giving a speech, or simply trying to communicate your feelings, incorporating similes can make your words more colorful, relatable, and impactful.
