Cry vs. Crying — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 16, 2024
"Cry" is a verb that describes the act of shedding tears, usually due to emotions; "crying" is its present participle form, used to depict the ongoing action or state of crying.
Difference Between Cry and Crying
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Key Differences
Cry is a base form of the verb that signifies the action of shedding tears due to emotional states, pain, or other stimuli. Whereas, crying refers to the continuous aspect of this action, indicating that it is happening at the moment.
Cry can be used to give commands or express necessity, such as in the sentences "Don't cry" or "You need to cry it out." On the other hand, crying is used in progressive tense constructions to describe actions currently in progress, e.g., "She is crying."
Cry functions in various grammatical roles including infinitive and imperative forms. While, crying is specifically used as a gerund or present participle, modifying nouns or working as part of continuous verb tenses.
Cry can form part of a conditional or future tense structure, such as "If you cry, you will feel better." Conversely, crying is used to depict ongoing states in descriptions, such as "Her crying was loud and incessant."
Cry often stands alone as a simple statement or command. Meanwhile, crying frequently appears in progressive phrases that describe a state being observed, like in "I heard someone crying in the next room."
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Comparison Chart
Grammatical Form
Base verb
Present participle/gerund
Usage in Tenses
All tenses
Continuous tenses
Example in Command
"Cry softly."
Not applicable
Function in a Sentence
Action verb
Describing ongoing action
Emotional Connotation
Immediate
Prolonged or ongoing emotion
Compare with Definitions
Cry
To call or shout loudly.
The vendor came crying his wares.
Crying
Indicates ongoing emotional expressions.
They were crying out of happiness.
Cry
To shed tears as a response to an emotion.
She might cry during the movie.
Crying
Used with auxiliary verbs to form the progressive tense.
He is crying because he fell down.
Cry
To announce or proclaim something.
The herald cried the arrival of the king.
Crying
Act of shedding tears continuously.
She was crying uncontrollably.
Cry
To shout or scream, especially to express distress.
The baby will cry if left alone.
Crying
Describes the state of someone who is crying.
Crying is sometimes a necessary emotional release.
Cry
To appeal or entreat earnestly.
He cried for help.
Crying
Used as a noun, referring to the action itself.
The crying kept me awake.
Cry
Shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow
Don't cry—it'll be all right
You'll cry tears of joy
Crying
Crying or weeping is the shedding of tears (or welling of tears in the eyes) in response to an emotional state, pain or a physical irritation of the eye. Emotions that can lead to crying include sadness, anger, and even happiness.
Cry
Shout or scream, typically to express fear, pain, or grief
The little girl fell down and cried for mummy
Crying
Demanding or requiring action or attention
A crying need.
Cry
(of a bird or other animal) make a loud characteristic call
The wild birds cried out over the water
Crying
Abominable; reprehensible
A crying shame.
Cry
A loud inarticulate shout or scream expressing a powerful feeling or emotion
A cry of despair
Crying
That cries.
The crying child on the street was evidently lost.
Cry
The loud characteristic call of a bird or other animal
The harsh cries of magpies
Crying
That demands action or attention.
There is a crying need for more manual workers in this country.
Cry
A pack of hounds
He kept a cry of hounds to hunt in the wilderness
Crying
That deserves rebuke or censure.
It is a crying shame that he managed to get away with that!
Cry
To shed tears, especially as a result of strong emotion such as grief, sorrow, pain, or joy.
Crying
The act of one who cries; a weeping or shouting.
Their constant cryings kept us awake!
Cry
To call loudly; shout.
Crying
Present participle of cry
Cry
To utter a characteristic sound or call. Used of an animal.
Crying
Calling for notice; compelling attention; notorious; heinous; as, a crying evil.
Too much fondness for meditative retirement is not the crying sin of our modern Christianity.
Cry
To demand or require immediate action or remedy
Grievances crying out for redress.
Crying
The process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds);
I hate to hear the crying of a child
She was in tears
Cry
To utter loudly; call out.
Crying
Noisy with or as if with loud cries and shouts;
A crying mass of rioters
A howling wind
Shouting fans
The yelling fiend
Cry
To proclaim or announce in public
Crying one's wares in the marketplace.
Crying
Demanding attention;
Clamant needs
A crying need
Regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous
Insistent hunger
An instant need
Cry
To bring into a particular condition by weeping
Cry oneself to sleep.
Crying
Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible;
A crying shame
An egregious lie
Flagrant violation of human rights
A glaring error
Gross ineptitude
Gross injustice
Rank treachery
Cry
(Archaic) To beg for; implore
Cry forgiveness.
Cry
A loud utterance of an emotion, such as fear, anger, or despair.
Cry
A loud exclamation; a shout or call.
Cry
A fit of weeping
Had a good long cry.
Cry
An urgent entreaty or appeal.
Cry
A public or general demand or complaint.
Cry
A common view or general report.
Cry
An advertising of wares by calling out
Vendors' cries at the fish market.
Cry
A rallying call or signal
A cry to arms.
Cry
A slogan, especially a political one.
Cry
The characteristic call or utterance of an animal.
Cry
The baying of hounds during the chase.
Cry
A pack of hounds.
Cry
(Obsolete) Clamor; outcry.
Cry
(Obsolete) A public announcement; a proclamation.
Cry
(intransitive) To shed tears; to weep.
That sad movie always makes me cry.
Cry
(transitive) To utter loudly; to call out; to declare publicly.
Cry
(ambitransitive) To shout, scream, yell.
Cry
(intransitive) To utter inarticulate sounds, as animals do.
Cry
(transitive) To cause to do something, or bring to some state, by crying or weeping.
Tonight I’ll cry myself to sleep.
Cry
To make oral and public proclamation of; to notify or advertise by outcry, especially things lost or found, goods to be sold, auctioned, etc.
To cry goods
Cry
Hence, to publish the banns of, as for marriage.
Cry
A shedding of tears; the act of crying.
After we broke up, I retreated to my room for a good cry.
Cry
A shout or scream.
I heard a cry from afar.
Cry
Words shouted or screamed.
A battle cry
Cry
A clamour or outcry.
Cry
(collectively) A group of hounds.
Cry
A pack or company of people.
Cry
(of an animal) A typical sound made by the species in question.
"Woof" is the cry of a dog, while "neigh" is the cry of a horse.
Cry
A desperate or urgent request.
Cry
(obsolete) Common report; gossip.
Cry
To make a loud call or cry; to call or exclaim vehemently or earnestly; to shout; to vociferate; to proclaim; to pray; to implore.
And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice.
Clapping their hands, and crying with loud voice.
Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
Some cried after him to return.
Cry
To utter lamentations; to lament audibly; to express pain, grief, or distress, by weeping and sobbing; to shed tears; to bawl, as a child.
Ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.
I could find it in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel and to cry like a woman.
Cry
To utter inarticulate sounds, as animals.
The young ravens which cry.
In a cowslip's bell I lieThere I couch when owls do cry.
Cry
To utter loudly; to call out; to shout; to sound abroad; to declare publicly.
All, all, cry shame against ye, yet I 'll speak.
The man . . . ran on,crying, Life! life! Eternal life!
Cry
To cause to do something, or bring to some state, by crying or weeping; as, to cry one's self to sleep.
Cry
To make oral and public proclamation of; to declare publicly; to notify or advertise by outcry, especially things lost or found, goods to be sold, ets.; as, to cry goods, etc.
Love is lost, and thus she cries him.
Cry
To publish the banns of, as for marriage.
I should not be surprised if they were cried in church next Sabbath.
Men of dissolute lives cry down religion, because they would not be under the restraints of it.
Cry
A loud utterance; especially, the inarticulate sound produced by one of the lower animals; as, the cry of hounds; the cry of wolves.
Cry
Outcry; clamor; tumult; popular demand.
Again that cry was found to have been as unreasonable as ever.
Cry
Any expression of grief, distress, etc., accompanied with tears or sobs; a loud sound, uttered in lamentation.
There shall be a great cry throughout all the land.
An infant crying in the night,An infant crying for the light;And with no language but a cry.
Cry
Loud expression of triumph or wonder or of popular acclamation or favor.
The cry went once on thee.
Cry
Importunate supplication.
O, the most piteous cry of the poor souls.
Cry
Public advertisement by outcry; proclamation, as by hawkers of their wares.
The street cries of London.
Cry
Common report; fame.
The cry goes that you shall marry her.
Cry
A word or phrase caught up by a party or faction and repeated for effect; as, the party cry of the Tories.
All now depends upon a good cry.
Cry
A pack of hounds.
A cry more tunableWas never hollaed to, nor cheered with horn.
Cry
A pack or company of persons; - in contempt.
Would not this . . . get me a fellowship in a cry of players?
Cry
The crackling noise made by block tin when it is bent back and forth.
Cry
A loud utterance; often in protest or opposition;
The speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience
Cry
A loud utterance of emotion (especially when inarticulate);
A cry of rage
A yell of pain
Cry
A slogan used to rally support for a cause;
A cry to arms
Our watchword will be `democracy'
Cry
A fit of weeping;
Had a good cry
Cry
The characteristic utterance of an animal;
Animal cries filled the night
Cry
Utter a sudden loud cry;
She cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle
I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me
Cry
Shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain;
She cried bitterly when she heard the news of his death
The girl in the wheelchair wept with frustration when she could not get up the stairs
Cry
Utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy;
`I won!' he exclaimed
`Help!' she cried
`I'm here,' the mother shouted when she saw her child looking lost
Cry
Proclaim or announce in public;
Before we had newspapers, a town cryer would cry the news
He cried his merchandise in the market square
Cry
Demand immediate action;
This situation is crying for attention
Cry
Utter a characteristic sound;
The cat was crying
Cry
Bring into a particular state by crying;
The little boy cried himself to sleep
Common Curiosities
How is 'crying' different from 'cry'?
Crying is the present participle form of cry, used to describe the action as ongoing.
What tense is 'cry' used with?
Cry can be used with any tense depending on its form in the sentence.
Is 'crying' only related to sadness?
No, crying can also occur from happiness, pain, or other intense emotions.
Can 'cry' and 'crying' be used interchangeably?
No, 'cry' is used for statements and commands, while 'crying' is used to describe an ongoing state.
How do you describe someone who is currently crying?
You would describe them as "crying," indicating the action is occurring at the moment.
What is the primary use of 'cry' in English?
Cry is primarily used as a verb to indicate the act of shedding tears or making a loud call.
Can 'cry' be a command?
Yes, 'cry' can be used as an imperative, such as in "Cry softly."
What is an example of 'cry' used in a future tense?
"You will cry when you hear the news" is an example of using 'cry' in future tense.
Is 'crying' ever used in passive constructions?
Typically, 'crying' is not used in passive constructions as it indicates active ongoing action.
What grammatical role does 'crying' play in a sentence?
Crying serves as a present participle or gerund, often part of a verb phrase or as a noun.
Are there any idiomatic uses of 'cry'?
Yes, phrases like "cry over spilled milk" use 'cry' idiomatically to mean complaining about something that cannot be undone.
What does 'crying' imply about the duration of the action?
Crying implies that the action is prolonged or continuous.
Can 'cry' function as a noun?
In traditional usage, 'cry' functions as a verb, but colloquially, it can refer to the act of crying as a noun.
Can 'crying' be stopped easily?
Stopping crying can sometimes require calming the underlying emotions or physical comfort.
What is the significance of 'crying' in a psychological context?
In psychology, crying is often viewed as a healthy emotional release.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
