Word
weep
US/ˈwip/
UK/wˈiːp/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
weep
Past
wept
Past participle
wept
Definitions
01to cry
B2 · Upper Intermediate Literary
v. to cry, usually because you feel a very strong emotion like sadness or great joy.
v. to shed tears as an expression of intense emotion, often accompanied by sobbing. Intransitive or transitive when taking a cognate object like 'tears'.
“The old man began to weep when he saw his daughter after twenty years.”
“She sat by the window and wept silently, overwhelmed by a profound sense of loss that words could not adequately capture.”
02to leak liquid
C1 · Advanced Medicine Technical
v. to slowly produce or leak a small amount of liquid.
v. to exude or discharge moisture or fluid in small quantities. Often used in medical contexts regarding wounds or in engineering regarding condensation.
“The cut on his knee started to weep a little, so he put a clean bandage on it.”
“The physician noted that the surgical incision had begun to weep a clear serous fluid, indicating the early stages of a localized inflammatory response.”
03drooping branches
C2 · Proficiency Literary
v. to have branches that hang down toward the ground.
v. to have branches that hang or droop toward the ground, characteristic of certain tree varieties.
“The willow trees weep over the river, their long branches touching the water.”
“The ancient willow seemed to weep over the stagnant pond, its pendulous branches creating a curtain of green that obscured the far bank.”
Synonyms
04a period of crying
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal · British English
n. a period of time spent crying.
n. an instance or spell of crying. Usually used with the verb 'have'.
“Sometimes you just need to have a good weep to feel better.”
“After receiving the news, she retreated to her room for a long weep, emerging only when she felt composed enough to speak.”
Usage
The verb is often intransitive, but can be used transitively in literary contexts (e.g., 'to weep bitter tears').
Real-World Examples
“Women sat by the graves, some quietly weeping, others so distraught they were beating their chests with their fists.” “The Iranian state television announcer was gasping for air. I almost felt bad for him. That’s how hard he was weeping when he delivered the news of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s demise.” “But in reality, weeping is one of the healthiest outward expressions of emotions, regardless of gender.” Etymology
From Middle English wepen, from Old English wēpan (“to weep, complain, bewail, mourn over, deplore”), from Proto-West Germanic wōpijan, from Proto-Germanic wōpijaną (“to weep”), from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂b- (“to call, cry, complain”). Cognate with Scots weep (“to weep”), Saterland Frisian wapia (“to cry, complain”), Icelandic æpa (“to yell, shout”), Proto-Slavic *vъpiti (“to weep”).
Imitative of its cry.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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