Crying is the shedding of tears from the eyes and often accompanies strong emotion. A common definition describes it as the production of tears because of feelings such as sadness, anger, fear or intense joy — a point discussed in various summaries of human behaviour (definition source, emotion link). Although tears also flow for non‑emotional reasons, the visible act of crying in people usually carries a communicative or regulatory function.
Physiology and types of tears
Tears are produced by the lacrimal glands and spread across the eye to lubricate and protect the surface. Broadly speaking there are three functional categories: basal tears that keep the eye moist, reflex tears produced in response to irritants (for example when chopping onions) and emotional tears associated with feelings. The mechanical pathway involves autonomic nervous system responses; the same neural circuits that mediate emotions can trigger tear secretion. Reflex tearing in animals is common for protection, but emotional crying as social signalling appears to be a chiefly human behaviour (animal distinction).
Common terms and observable forms
- Sobbing: convulsive inhalation with audible breaks.
- Weeping: quieter tears, often with silent vocalisation.
- Wailing or bawling: louder, prolonged crying.
- Lachrymation: a medical term sometimes used for non‑emotional tear production.
These words describe intensity and sound rather than separate physiological processes. Some sources give figures for how often adults cry on average; survey work and clinical summaries report gender differences in frequency and typical ranges (survey data, frequency summary, clinical society review).
Across cultures, women often report crying more frequently than men, a pattern attributed to a mix of biological factors and social norms about emotional expression. Crying serves social communication — signalling distress, need for help, relief or shared joy — and plays a role in bonding, especially between infants and caregivers. Some research suggests emotional tears may contain different proteins or hormones than basal tears and could have modest stress‑reducing or antimicrobial effects.
Clinically, excessive or involuntary crying can indicate mood disorders, neurological conditions or pseudobulbar affect and may require medical assessment. Conversely, difficulty crying does not on its own indicate pathology; cultural suppression and individual differences are common. For practical care, responses to someone who is crying — offering listening, physical comfort, or appropriate professional help — are often more important than attempting to stop tears immediately.
For further reading on causes, physiology and social meaning see the cited sources and introductory reviews (definition source, emotion link, animal distinction, survey data, frequency summary, clinical society review).