fake crying
Insincere tears shed
Fake crying is the act of pretending to cry, producing tears or sobs without genuine emotion.
Children do it to manipulate parents; adults do it to evoke sympathy or escape consequences.
The phrase often carries accusation: She turned on the fake crying the moment he walked in.
Also called crocodile tears.
- crocodile tearsInsincere show of sadness
- dry eyesLacking natural moisture
- sobbingConvulsive crying aloud
- whimperingCrying weakly, softly
- theatricalExaggeratedly emotional for effect
melodrama · manipulation · sympathy · sniffling · wailing · performance · attention · tantrum · guilt-trip · sob story · acting · forced · insincere · blubbering · histrionics · drama queen · pretend · waterworks
- make-believeplay doctor, air guitar, play house, play school
- ego displaysarrogance, vanity, boasting, showboating, braggadocio