# shed a tear

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/shed-a-tear
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To have a tear released, to cry (from sadness)

## Examples

- She shed a tear when she watched the sad movie.
- He tried to stay strong during the speech, but he could not help but shed a tear as he spoke about his late father.
- As the final notes of the symphony faded into the silence of the concert hall, the elderly composer shed a tear, moved by the beauty of his own creation.

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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.