weepie

IPA/ˈwiː.pi/
IPA/ˈwiː.pi/

weepie — adjective

  • weepiepositive
  • more weepiecomparative
  • most weepiesuperlative

1. feeling that you are about to cry, usually because you are sad, emotionally touc

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

feeling that you are about to cry, usually because you are sad, emotionally touched by something, or physically exhausted

Example

Kenji's voice turned weepy as he described the last time he saw his childhood home.

turn + weepy (linking verb pattern)

Ari felt weepy after watching a short film about a dog waiting for its owner.

feel + weepy after [trigger event]

Common collocations
  • feel weepy
  • get weepy
  • become weepy
  • turn weepy
  • sound weepy
  • a bit weepy
  • rather weepy
Synonyms
  • tearful

    more neutral and slightly more formal; describes the state of having tears in your eyes without the emotional vulnerability that weepy suggests

  • emotional

    broader meaning; can refer to any strong feeling, not specifically the urge to cry

  • choked up

    informal; suggests being unable to speak because of strong emotion, often in a public or awkward moment

Antonyms
  • dry-eyed

    not crying or showing any sign of wanting to cry; calm and composed

Grammar Patterns

feel + weepy

get + weepy

become + weepy

Usage Note

Also spelled weepy; the -y spelling is more common for the adjective. Frequently used after linking verbs (feel, get, become, turn, sound). The attributive position (a weepy voice, a weepy goodbye) is also possible but less frequent.

Common Mistakes

She is such a weepie.
She gets weepy easily.
The noun 'weepie' refers to a sad film or book, not a person who cries a lot.
I felt weepie after the movie.
I felt weepy after the movie.
The adjective form is usually spelled weepy in modern usage, though weepie is also accepted.

weepie — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Tearjerker, weepie, and sob story all describe something that makes people cry, but they differ in tone and context. Tearjerker is the closest synonym to weepie and the most widely understood across both British and American English — it is neutral enough for a film review. Sob story has a narrower, more negative use: it usually refers to a personal account told to win sympathy rather than to a film or book (e.g. "He gave the teacher some sob story about his dog eating his homework"). Melodrama is a broader genre label: a melodrama uses exaggerated emotion and dramatic plot twists, but it does not necessarily aim to make the audience cry. A weepie is always a sad story that moves you to tears, whereas a melodrama could be a thriller or a romance with heightened emotions. For example, a film about a family losing their home in a fire is a weepie; a TV show where characters shout and faint over a breakup is a melodrama.

tearjerker ↗sob story ↗melodrama ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed from the verb 'weep' (from Old English wēpan, meaning to cry or shed tears) plus the informal suffix '-ie' (also spelled '-y'), which creates a familiar, affectionate, or diminutive noun or adjective. The word first appeared in the early 20th century to describe sentimental films that made audiences cry. The adjective use (feeling tearful) developed later, around the mid-20th century.

First known use

1928

1928, in the meaning defined above