English Reference
Idiom idiom

crying shame


A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

It is a crying shame that the park is so dirty.

CONTEXTUAL

The old theater is closing down next month, which is a crying shame for the local community.

COMPLEX

It remains a crying shame that such a talented artist never received the recognition she deserved during her lifetime.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    for crying out loud

    Used to express frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

  2. 02

    name and shame

    To publish the name of (a person or organization that has committed some transgression) so as to single them out for individual blame and censure.

Last updated August 10, 2026