Similes are fun figures of speech that compare two different things using the words like or as. People use them to make their writing and speaking much more descriptive and exciting to read. In this article, you are going to learn sixty wonderful similes that describe crying, shedding tears, and feeling sad.
In this lesson, we’ll look at similes for crying that mean weeping, sobbing, and shedding tears. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Similes for Crying
1. As a baby crying in the night
Meaning: This means crying loudly and uncontrollably when feeling upset or hurt.
For Example: When he scraped his knee on the playground, he started crying as a baby crying in the night. / She burst into tears and wailed like a baby crying in the night.
Other Ways to Say: Sobbing loudly / Wailing tears
2. Like a broken water pipe
Description: This describes tears flowing continuously and heavily from your eyes.
For Example: When she watched the sad movie ending, her tears poured out like a broken water pipe. / He wept endlessly, leaking water like a broken water pipe.
Other Ways to Say: Heavy streaming / Endless tears
3. As weak as water
Meaning: This means feeling completely drained of strength after a long crying session.
For Example: After sobbing for an hour over the sad book, her limbs felt as weak as water. / He sat on the floor, feeling as weak as water after crying.
Other Ways to Say: Drained strength / Feeble limbs
4. Like a thunderstorm letting loose
Description: This describes a sudden, heavy burst of tears and weeping breaking out.
For Example: When she heard the bad news, her sadness burst forth like a thunderstorm letting loose. / He cried hard like a thunderstorm letting loose during the argument.
Other Ways to Say: Heavy rain / Sudden burst
5. As helpless as a newborn kitten
Meaning: This means feeling vulnerable, small, and overwhelmed while crying.
For Example: Sitting alone after dropping his project, he felt as helpless as a newborn kitten. / She wept softly, feeling as helpless as a newborn kitten.
Other Ways to Say: Vulnerable state / Little help
6. Like a fountain overflowing
Description: This describes tears spilling over your eyelids and running down your face.
For Example: Her eyes welled up and spilled over like a fountain overflowing when she won the award. / Tears bubbled up from his eyes like a fountain overflowing.
Other Ways to Say: Overflowing tears / Spilling drops
7. As sad as a rainy Monday
Meaning: This means a gloomy, tearful mood filled with sadness.
For Example: His expression after losing the game was as sad as a rainy Monday. / She felt downcast and as sad as a rainy Monday while wiping her eyes.
Other Ways to Say: Gloomy mood / Deep sorrow
8. Like a river breaking its banks
Description: This describes an enormous wave of sadness and heavy crying bursting out.
For Example: When she talked about missing her pet, her tears flooded like a river breaking its banks. / His grief poured out like a river breaking its banks.
Other Ways to Say: Flooding tears / Overflowing grief
9. As shaky as a leaf in the wind
Meaning: This means your chin and voice trembling while you try not to cry.
For Example: When she tried to speak to the teacher, her lower lip was as shaky as a leaf in the wind. / His whole body shook as a leaf in the wind while he wept.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling hard / Shaking voice
10. Like a spring rain shower
Description: This describes a gentle, quiet round of soft tears falling from your eyes.
For Example: She shed a few quiet tears over the sweet poem like a spring rain shower. / Soft drops fell from her eyes like a spring rain shower.
Other Ways to Say: Gentle weeping / Soft drops
11. As loud as a siren
Meaning: This means wailing and crying at a high, piercing volume.
For Example: When the toddler dropped his toy ice cream, he cried as loud as a siren. / Her frustrated sobbing echoed down the hallway as loud as a siren.
Other Ways to Say: Piercing wail / Loud cry
12. Like a melting icicle
Description: This describes tears dripping slowly and steadily from your chin.
For Example: The quiet teardrops slid down his cold cheeks like a melting icicle. / She sat by the window, letting tears drip like a melting icicle.
Other Ways to Say: Slow drip / Melting drop
13. As heavy as lead
Meaning: This means having a heavy, sinking heart that makes you want to cry.
For Example: His chest felt as heavy as lead before the tears finally started to fall. / Her sorrow was as heavy as lead after hearing the news.
Other Ways to Say: Heavy heart / Sinking grief
14. Like a cloud bursting into rain
Description: This describes holding back sadness for a long time until you finally break down crying.
For Example: After trying to stay strong all day, she broke down like a cloud bursting into rain. / His eyes filled up and poured like a cloud bursting into rain.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden downpour / Breaking down
15. As quiet as a falling snowflake
Meaning: This means shedding quiet, silent tears without making a single sound.
For Example: She sat in the back row crying as quiet as a snowflake so no one would notice. / His tears rolled down his cheeks as quiet as a falling snowflake.
Other Ways to Say: Silent weeping / Whispering tears
16. Like an ocean storm crashing down
Description: This describes massive, powerful waves of deep sobbing and emotional pain.
For Example: The grief hit him all at once like an ocean storm crashing down. / Her sudden crying spell felt like an ocean storm crashing down.
Other Ways to Say: Heavy storm / Deep sobbing
17. As pale as ghost
Meaning: This means losing color in your face after a long session of hard crying.
For Example: After crying for hours, her face looked as pale as a ghost. / He sat up in bed looking as pale as a ghost from sorrow.
Other Ways to Say: Pale face / Ghostly look
18. Like a faucet left running
Description: This describes a continuous stream of tears that will not stop coming.
For Example: Once she started crying over the sad story, her eyes stayed open like a faucet left running. / His tears leaked out continuously like a faucet left running.
Other Ways to Say: Unending flow / Running tap
19. As soft as morning dew
Meaning: This means light, tiny moisture droplets gathering in your eyes from gentle sadness.
For Example: Her eyes glistened with tears as soft as morning dew. / Small teardrops gathered on her lashes as soft as morning dew.
Other Ways to Say: Gentle moisture / Light tear
20. Like a child losing their favorite toy
Description: This describes pure, heartbreaking sorrow and sobbing over a painful loss.
For Example: He wept inconsolably over the broken model airplane like a child losing their favorite toy. / She cried with deep sorrow like a child losing their favorite toy.
Other Ways to Say: Heartbroken sob / Pure grief
21. As bitter as winter frost
Meaning: This means harsh, painful tears born from anger and deep disappointment.
For Example: The angry tears she shed over the unfair rule were as bitter as winter frost. / His crying was filled with frustration as bitter as winter frost.
Other Ways to Say: Harsh tears / Bitter sorrow
22. Like a damaged rain cloud
Description: This describes an eye swollen and heavy with unshed, building tears.
For Example: Her eyelids looked puffy and heavy like a damaged rain cloud ready to pour. / His face looked sad like a damaged rain cloud.
Other Ways to Say: Puffy eyes / Heavy cloud
23. As red as a tomato
Meaning: This means your face and eyes turning bright red from crying hard.
For Example: After crying over the sad ending, her cheeks and nose were as red as a tomato. / His eyes turned as red as a tomato from the sobbing session.
Other Ways to Say: Red face / Flush skin
24. Like a wet sponge squeezed out
Meaning: This means feeling totally wrung out, exhausted, and empty after crying.
For Example: After an afternoon of heavy weeping, she felt like a wet sponge squeezed out. / His energy was drained like a wet sponge squeezed out.
Other Ways to Say: Completely drained / Wrung out
25. As fragile as glass
Meaning: This means feeling emotionally delicate and ready to burst into tears at any second.
For Example: During the difficult family discussion, her emotions felt as fragile as glass. / He was feeling as fragile as glass and started crying easily.
Other Ways to Say: Delicate feelings / Easily broken
26. Like a wounded bird falling from a tree
Description: This describes collapsing into tears and sadness after taking an emotional blow.
For Example: When she heard she didn’t make the team, she slumped down crying like a wounded bird falling from a tree. / He wept softly like a wounded bird falling from a tree.
Other Ways to Say: Fallen spirit / Hurt bird
27. As deep as a well
Meaning: This means a profound, bottomless well of sadness that causes endless crying.
For Example: Her sorrow over the move ran as deep as a well, bringing constant tears. / His grief was as deep as a well.
Other Ways to Say: Bottomless grief / Deep sorrow
28. Like a broken dam bursting open
Description: This describes holding back tears for a long time until they suddenly flood out.
For Example: When her friend hugged her, her controlled emotions broke like a broken dam bursting open. / His tears rushed forth like a broken dam bursting open.
Other Ways to Say: Rushing flood / Bursting tears
29. As sharp as a needle
Meaning: This means a sharp, stinging pain in your chest that brings sudden tears.
For Example: The mean remark pierced his heart with a feeling as sharp as a needle, bringing tears. / Her sudden disappointment felt as sharp as a needle.
Other Ways to Say: Stinging pain / Sharp pierce
30. Like a lonely child in an empty yard
Description: This describes crying out of loneliness and missing your friends or family.
For Example: Sitting by himself on the steps, he wept like a lonely child in an empty yard. / She cried softly like a lonely child in an empty yard.
Other Ways to Say: Lonely weeping / Sad child
31. As slow as dripping molasses
Meaning: This means heavy, thick tears rolling slowly down your flushed cheeks.
For Example: The solitary teardrop crawled down his cheek as slow as dripping molasses. / Her slow tears fell as slow as dripping molasses during the quiet talk.
Other Ways to Say: Slow roll / Thick tear
32. Like a winter storm howling outdoors
Description: This describes loud, wailing cries accompanied by shaking and shivering.
For Example: His grief echoed through the empty bedroom like a winter storm howling outdoors. / She sobbed loudly like a winter storm howling outdoors.
Other Ways toSay: Howling wail / Stormy cry
33. As clear as crystal
Meaning: This means pure, clean teardrops shining brightly in the light as they fall.
For Example: The single tear on her cheek glistened as clear as crystal. / His falling teardrops caught the sunlight, looking as clear as crystal.
Other Ways to Say: Pure drop / Sparkling tear
34. Like a falling autumn leaf
Description: This describes a gentle, quiet teardrop slipping softly down your face.
For Example: A lone tear detached and drifted down her cheek like a falling autumn leaf. / He brushed away a tear like a falling autumn leaf.
Other Ways to Say: Drifting tear / Soft drop
35. As dark as a moonless night
Meaning: This means a deep, heavy, crying depression that feels dark and hopeless.
For Example: Her mood during the tearful evening was as dark as a moonless night. / His sorrow felt as dark as a moonless night.
Other Ways to Say: Pitch dark / Gloomy grief
36. Like a heavy anchor sinking down
Description: This describes a sinking feeling in your stomach that leads straight to tears.
For Example: The disappointing test score pulled his spirits down like a heavy anchor sinking down. / Her heart sank into tears like a heavy anchor sinking down.
Other Ways to Say: Sinking drop / Heavy pull
37. As warm as summer rain
Meaning: This means emotional tears that feel warm against your cool cheeks.
For Example: The tears streaming down her face felt as warm as summer rain. / His comforting cry was as warm as summer rain.
Other Ways toSay: Warm tears / Summer drop
38. Like a deflated balloon losing air
Meaning: This describes crying because all your energy, fight, and hope have drained away.
For Example: After the argument, she sat on the floor sobbing like a deflated balloon losing air. / His spirit collapsed in tears like a deflated balloon losing air.
Other Ways to Say: Losing steam / Deflated spirit
39. As sweet as honey
Meaning: This means bittersweet tears shed over a touching, happy memory.
For Example: Watching her older sister graduate brought tears as sweet as honey to her eyes. / His sentimental crying was as sweet as honey.
Other Ways to Say: Bitter-sweet / Emotional joy
40. Like a glass vase shattering on stone
Meaning: This describes a sudden, violent emotional breakdown caused by shocking news.
For Example: Hearing the bad news shattered her composure like a glass vase shattering on stone. / His calm cracked into loud sobbing like a glass vase shattering on stone.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden break / Shattered calm
41. As hollow as an empty shell
Meaning: This means feeling empty and exhausted after crying your eyes out.
For Example: After the long weeping session, he felt as hollow as an empty shell. / Her chest felt as hollow as an empty shell.
Other Ways to Say: Inner emptiness / Hollow feel
42. Like a candle burning down to the wick
Meaning: This describes crying softly until you run out of energy and fall asleep.
For Example: She sobbed quietly into her pillow until her energy flickered out like a candle burning down to the wick. / His tears slowed down like a candle burning down to the wick.
Other Ways to Say: Fading energy / Quiet end
43. As quiet as a mouse
Meaning: This means trying to muffle your sobs so nobody hears you crying in your room.
For Example: He hid under the blanket and cried as quiet as a mouse. / She wept into her hands as quiet as a mouse during the movie.
Other Ways to Say: Muffled sob / Silent cry
44. Like a trapped animal in a cage
Description: This describes panicking and crying out of stress and feeling cornered.
For Example: Feeling overwhelmed by school pressure, she broke down crying like a trapped animal in a cage. / He wept out of frustration like a trapped animal in a cage.
Other Ways toSay: Panicked cry / Trapped sorrow
45. As bright as a beacon
Meaning: This means wet, tear-filled eyes shining brightly under the lights.
For Example: Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, glowing as bright as a beacon. / His tearful gaze was as bright as a beacon in the dark.
Other Ways to Say: Shining tears / Gleaming eyes
46. Like a dry sponge soaking up water
Description: This describes absorbing sorrow until you finally release it in tears.
For Example: He held in his bad feelings all week before crying like a dry sponge soaking up water. / Her emotions overflowed like a dry sponge soaking up water.
Other Ways to Say: Absorbing grief / Overflowing release
47. As rough as sandpaper
Meaning: This means a throat and voice feeling scratchy and sore from crying too long.
For Example: After hours of loud sobbing, his voice sounded as rough as sandpaper. / Her throat felt as rough as sandpaper when she tried to speak through her tears.
Other Ways toSay: Scratchy voice / Sore throat
48. Like a morning mist over a lake
Meaning: This describes a soft, hazy layer of tears blurring your vision.
For Example: Her tear-filled eyes made the classroom look like a morning mist over a lake. / His blurred vision felt like a morning mist over a lake.
Other Ways to Say: Hazy vision / Watery blur
49. As stiff as a board
Meaning: This means freezing your body rigid while trying to stop yourself from crying.
For Example: He sat in the chair trying not to cry, holding his posture as stiff as a board. / She froze up in tears, remaining as stiff as a board.
Other Ways to Say: Rigid posture / Frozen stance
50. Like a singer hitting a high note
Meaning: This describes a sudden, high-pitched sob breaking through your voice.
For Example: His voice cracked with emotion, sounding like a singer hitting a high note. / She let out a sharp, emotional sob like a singer hitting a high note.
Other Ways to Say: Cracking voice / High sob
51. As cold as ice
Meaning: This means having freezing, tear-streaked cheeks after crying outside in winter.
For Example: After weeping in the snow, her cheeks felt as cold as ice. / His face was wet and as cold as ice from the winter chill.
Other Ways to Say: Freezing cheeks / Icy tears
52. Like a river carving stone
Description: This describes long-term sadness and frequent crying slowly wearing you down.
For Example: Months of missing her friend wore away at her happiness like a river carving stone. / His sorrow cut deep like a river carving stone.
Other Ways to Say: Deep wear / Slow carving
53. As restless as a troubled sea
Meaning: This means tossing and turning in bed while crying over a problem.
For Example: He spent the whole night weeping and feeling as restless as a troubled sea. / Her tearful thoughts were as restless as a troubled sea.
Other Ways to Say: Restless mind / Troubled waves
54. Like a sudden summer cloudburst
Meaning: This describes a brief, intense burst of crying that clears up quickly.
For Example: She cried hard for five minutes over the lost pencil, like a sudden summer cloudburst. / His tears poured out like a sudden summer cloudburst before he smiled again.
Other Ways to Say: Brief shower / Fast crying
55. As heavy as an iron weight
Meaning: This means a crushing burden of sadness pressing down on your chest.
For Example: The bad news pressed down on his shoulders as heavy as an iron weight, bringing tears. / Her grief felt as heavy as an iron weight.
Other Ways to Say: Crushing grief / Heavy burden
56. Like a child separated from their mother
Description: This describes a panicked, desperate session of crying out of fear and sadness.
For Example: When he couldn’t find his family in the store, he began crying like a child separated from their mother. / She sobbed like a child separated from their mother.
Other Ways to Say: Panicked sob / Desperate crying
57. As smooth as silk
Meaning: This means a steady, unbroken stream of quiet tears falling without hiccups.
For Example: Her silent tears rolled down her face as smooth as silk. / His weeping flowed without interruption, as smooth as silk.
Other Ways to Say: Unbroken flow / Smooth tear
58. Like a shadow fading at dawn
Meaning: This means crying spells finally easing up as morning or relief arrives.
For Example: Her overnight sobbing session began to calm down like a shadow fading at dawn. / His tears dried up like a shadow fading at dawn.
Other Ways to Say: Fading grief / Morning relief
59. As sharp as a thistle thorn
Meaning: This means a sudden, prickly sting of sadness that brings quick tears to your eyes.
For Example: The unkind words pricked his feelings as sharp as a thistle thorn, making him cry. / Her sudden hurt felt as sharp as a thistle thorn.
Other Ways to Say: Prickly sting / Sudden hurt
60. Like a story with a tragic ending
Meaning: This describes deep, dramatic crying over a very emotional movie or book scene.
For Example: She closed the heartbreaking novel and wept like a story with a tragic ending. / He sniffled and wiped his eyes like a story with a tragic ending.
Other Ways to Say: Tragic sob / Dramatic cry
Exercise to Practice
- When he scraped his knee on the playground, he started crying ________.
- When she watched the sad movie ending, her tears poured out like ________.
- After sobbing for an hour over the sad book, her limbs felt ________.
- When she heard the bad news, her sadness burst forth like ________.
- Sitting alone after dropping his project, he felt ________.
- Her eyes welled up and spilled over like ________.
- His expression after losing the game was ________.
- When she talked about missing her pet, her tears flooded like ________.
- When she tried to speak to the teacher, her lower lip was ________.
- She shed a few quiet tears over the sweet poem like ________.
- When the toddler dropped his toy ice cream, he cried ________.
- The quiet teardrops slid down his cold cheeks like ________.
- His chest felt ________ before the tears finally started to fall.
- After trying to stay strong all day, she broke down like ________.
- She sat in the back row crying ________ so no one would notice.
Answer Key
- as a baby crying in the night
- a broken water pipe
- as weak as water
- a thunderstorm letting loose
- as helpless as a newborn kitten
- a fountain overflowing
- as sad as a rainy Monday
- a river breaking its banks
- as shaky as a leaf in the wind
- a spring rain shower
- as loud as a siren
- a melting icicle
- as heavy as lead
- a cloud bursting into rain
- as quiet as a falling snowflake
Conclusion
Learning these fun similes helps you describe crying and sadness in much more creative ways. Instead of using plain words, you can paint a vivid picture in your reader’s mind.
Try using some of these expressions the next time you write an emotional story or describe a touching moment with your friends. You will sound like a true vocabulary expert and make your writing much more fun to read!
