Weeping
noun / adjective /ˈwiːpɪŋ/ — Shedding tears — grief's most visible expression, and one of the oldest words for it.
Definition
Shedding tears, especially as an expression of distress or grief; crying; (as adjective) drooping or bending downward, like a weeping willow.
Beyond the definition
Weeping is the most formal of the grief synonyms — it has a literary quality that 'crying' lacks. You weep in poems and in serious moments. The weeping willow got its name from the drooping branches, which mimic the bowed head of one who weeps.
Origin & history
From Old English wēpan — to cry, weep (related to Gothic wōpjan: to cry out). One of the oldest words in English for the expression of grief through tears.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She had been weeping without knowing it — her face wet before she'd registered the feeling.
The weeping of strangers at a funeral: the grief that belongs to everyone.
To weep is to let the feeling out through the most literal channel the body has.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Weeping” when the meaning fits your context: Shedding tears, especially as an expression of distress or grief; crying; (as adjective) drooping or bending downward, like a weeping willow.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Somber Reflective Sadness
An adult sits alone in a quiet, dark room, gazing toward an empty chair with a posture of deep sadness.
The adult's somber, reflective posture conveys the act of weeping, even in silence. The chair serves as the focal point of their distress, illustrating the deep, internal, or shed tears that arise from the profound sense of loss and absence.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Weeping" mean?
Weeping is noun / adjective meaning: Shedding tears — grief's most visible expression, and one of the oldest words for it.. Shedding tears, especially as an expression of distress or grief; crying; (as adjective) drooping or bending downward, like a weeping willow.
Where does the word "Weeping" come from?
From Old English wēpan — to cry, weep (related to Gothic wōpjan: to cry out). One of the oldest words in English for the expression of grief through tears.