crying

crying — adjective

  • cryingpositive
  • more cryingcomparative
  • most cryingsuperlative

1. so serious or important that action must be taken immediately — used to describe

1.形容詞B2
釋義

so serious or important that action must be taken immediately — used to describe a need, problem, or lack of something that demands urgent attention, such as a crying need for clean drinking water in a community.

例句

The village school has a crying need for basic supplies like books and desks.

collocation: crying need + for [something]

After the earthquake, there was a crying need for clean water and temporary shelter.

同義詞
  • desperate

    more common in everyday speech; 'a desperate need' is less formal than 'a crying need'

  • urgent

    focuses on time pressure rather than seriousness; 'urgent need' is neutral and widely used

  • pressing

    suggests something that cannot be postponed, similar register to 'crying'

反義詞
  • minor

    a minor problem does not demand immediate action

  • trivial

    trivial matters can be ignored without serious harm

文法句型

crying + noun (need)

用法筆記

Only used before a noun — you cannot say 'The need is crying'. Most common with the noun 'need', often in the pattern 'a crying need for [something]'.

常見錯誤

❌The water shortage is crying.
✅There is a crying need for water.
💡'crying' must come directly before the noun it describes; it cannot follow the verb 'be'.

2. so bad, unfair, or shocking that it makes you feel angry or upset — used to emph

2.形容詞B2
釋義

so bad, unfair, or shocking that it makes you feel angry or upset — used to emphasise that a situation or action is morally wrong or disgraceful, such as a crying injustice that nobody tries to fix.

例句

It is a crying shame that the old park was closed to make way for shops.

structure: it is a crying shame + that-clause

Fatima called the unfair dismissal a crying injustice that should never happen.

同義詞
  • outrageous

    more direct and common; 'an outrageous injustice' has the same strength as 'a crying injustice'

  • appalling

    focuses on shock and horror rather than anger; 'appalling conditions' is widely used

  • shocking

    softer than 'crying' in this sense; 'a shocking waste' expresses surprise more than moral outrage

反義詞
  • fair

    a fair situation is the opposite of an unjust or outrageous one

  • acceptable

    something acceptable does not cause shock or anger

文法句型

it is a crying + noun (shame/injustice/disgrace) + that-clause

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed expressions 'a crying shame', 'a crying injustice', or 'a crying disgrace'. Cannot be used alone — you would not say 'That is crying' to mean outrageous.

常見錯誤

❌The situation is crying.
✅The situation is a crying shame.
💡'crying' needs to modify a noun like 'shame', 'injustice', or 'disgrace' to express outrageousness.

crying — noun