crocodile tear
A tear shed insincerely, in a false display of sorrow or some other emotion.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She shed crocodile tears at the funeral.”
“The toddler sheds a crocodile tear to get an extra cookie.”
“He cried crocodile tears when his rival lost, though everyone knew he was secretly pleased.”
“The manager wiped away a crocodile tear while announcing the layoffs, even though he had already planned his own bonus for the year.”
“Don't be fooled by his crocodile tears; he only acts sad when he gets caught breaking the rules at school.”
“The politician wept crocodile tears for the victims, yet had voted against the very aid he now mourned the lack of.”
From the ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while consuming their prey. The notion of the weeping predator persisted for centuries, predicated on the observation of moisture appearing in the animal's eyes during feeding, which was historically interpreted as a display of grief rather than a biological process. The term entered the language to denote a display of sorrow that is purely performative.
- 01
shed a tear
To have a tear released, to cry (from sadness)
- 02
tear a cat
To overact; to violently rant and rave on stage.
- 03
tear one's hair out
To react with extreme agitation.
- 04
tear to shreds
Synonym of tear to pieces.
- 05
tear up
To damage.
- 06
tear up the dance floor
To engage vigorously in dancing.
- 07
tear up the pea patch
To put on a notable performance, especially in sports; to go on a rampage.
Last updated August 10, 2026