# for crying out loud

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/for-crying-out-loud
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to express frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

## Examples

- For crying out loud, please stop making that noise.
- Just pick a restaurant for crying out loud.
- Answer your phone for crying out loud.
- For crying out loud, I told you to lock the door before we left the house.
- I have already explained how to use this software three times, so please pay attention for crying out loud.
- The bus is twenty minutes late again, and I am going to miss my doctor's appointment for crying out loud.
- I just bought this umbrella yesterday and it is already broken, so can I please have a refund for crying out loud?
- For crying out loud, the project has been delayed yet again, despite our best efforts to meet the deadline.

## Origin

First recorded in the early 20th century, the phrase originated as a minced oath for the sake of Christ. It functioned as a linguistic substitution, allowing a speaker to express exasperation while avoiding the social and religious inconvenience of blasphemy. The profane original was displaced by the phonetically similar crying, a convenient adjustment for the polite ear.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.