rush of tears

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rush of tears" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a sudden and overwhelming feeling of sadness that leads to crying. Example: "As she watched the heartbreaking scene unfold, a rush of tears filled her eyes, and she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Nash alternately whines, begs, and makes a wobbling sound that suggests an imminent rush of tears.

The New Yorker

"I haven't seen him since," she said, wiping away a rush of tears.

The New York Times

The reminder of her husband's habits brought a new rush of tears into Alice Kent's eyes and voice.

The New York Times - Magazine

The suggestion of a dinner party of just our immediate families was met with a rush of tears.

The New York Times

Ms. Wünsch's mother, A. Wünsch, in Heilbronn, said, "It's a tragedy," in a brief telephone interview yesterday through a rush of tears.

The New York Times

"We're here not just for our own futures," she said through a rush of tears, "but because we want to go back and help our country".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

But now, as I stood, my knees weak from the rush of emotions, tears filling my eyes until I could barely see, I saw how useless that had been.

HuffPost

After Dillon spoke, someone asked about the Republican Party's rush to tear apart the Affordable Care Act, and with it much of the American health-care system.

The New Yorker

Somehow the same city– the same cultural mix– that supports a Web startup going from an idea to a global powerhouse in a matter of months rushes to tear down a retailer that's been successful enough to open a few stores in just a few of the modestly-sized city's cloistered neighborhoods.

TechCrunch

The backyard basketball games always ended with Toney rushing inside in a flood of tears after taking elbows and a beating from Harry, his elder by 18 months.

The New York Times - Sports

How did the Cherokee, the Crow Indians, the Seneca and the Mohawk, and California mission Indians manage to survive and even to flourish after the Trail of Tears, the Gold Rush, the bounty hunting and stealing of children forced into U.S. Indian boarding schools to erase their language and culture?

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "rush of tears" to describe a sudden, often overwhelming, onset of crying due to strong emotion. It effectively conveys the immediacy and intensity of the emotional experience.

Common error

While "rush of tears" is acceptable in general writing, consider more formal alternatives like "sudden onset of grief" or "emotional response" in academic or professional settings.

Linguistic Context

Noun phrase. The phrase "rush of tears" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a specific emotional and physical reaction, often triggered by intense feelings or experiences. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "rush of tears" effectively captures a sudden and overwhelming emotional response, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it denotes an immediate and intense outpouring of emotion. While grammatically correct, consider the context when using this phrase; more formal settings might warrant alternatives like "sudden onset of grief" or "emotional response". For similar expressions, consider "burst of tears" or "flood of tears". In summary, "rush of tears" is a vivid and appropriate way to describe an acute emotional experience in many scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

burst of tears

Replaces "rush" with "burst", emphasizing the sudden and forceful nature of the tears.

flood of tears

Substitutes "rush" with "flood", highlighting the overwhelming quantity of tears.

wave of tears

Uses "wave" instead of "rush", depicting the tears as an emotional surge.

gush of tears

Uses "gush" to describe a sudden and copious flow of tears.

outburst of crying

Replaces "tears" with "crying" and "rush" with "outburst", focusing on the act of crying itself.

welling up with tears

Describes the initial stage before tears actually fall, emphasizing the emotional buildup.

sudden tears

Highlights the abrupt appearance of tears, simplifying the expression.

spontaneous tears

Emphasizes the unprompted and natural occurrence of tears.

uncontrollable tears

Focuses on the inability to stop the tears, stressing the intensity of emotion.

a fit of crying

Indicates a more intense and prolonged episode of crying.

FAQs

What does "rush of tears" mean?

A "rush of tears" describes a sudden and overwhelming feeling of sadness or emotion that leads to crying.

What can I say instead of "rush of tears"?

You can use alternatives like "burst of tears", "flood of tears", or "wave of tears" to describe a similar experience.

Is "rush of tears" an idiom?

No, "rush of tears" is not considered an idiom, but a common expression used to describe a physical and emotional response.

How can I use "rush of tears" in a sentence?

Example: "The heartbreaking news brought a "rush of tears" to her eyes."