tears of despair

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tears of despair" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express deep sadness or hopelessness, often in a poetic or emotional context. Example: "As she stood by the window, tears of despair streamed down her face, reflecting her heartache."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In addition to shedding tears of despair, they will need to shed some tears of defiance.

The New Yorker

Obama's Tears of Despair and Defiance Local Story Trump's Lawyers Argue That He Cannot Be Impeached Because He Was Never Actually Elected Atul Gawande: Curiosity and What Equality Really Means The Proper Response to Roseanne — and to Trump Memoirs of Disease and Disbelief Subscribe to The New Yorkerfor only $1 a week.Plus, get a free tote.

The New Yorker

This was also probably the only Judy Blume book that made you cry actual tears of despair.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Start talking with them about the events that ripped apart their community several weeks ago, and the emotion soon comes out – sometimes in anger, sometimes in tears of absolute despair.

Unicef

Here are some snapshots of moments that brought tears of joy and despair.

The New York Times - Sports

This is the point when tears of rage or despair would be flowing down the players' faces after a football game.

Vice

When the pox finally subsided, he said, "and we moved about to find our people, it was no longer with song and dance, but with tears, shrieks and howlings of despair for those who would never return to us".

The New York Times

Those were not tears of relief but of despair.

Huffington Post

While most of the unsuspecting kiddos immediately broke down in tears (or similar signs of despair) upon hearing the news, at least one kid is up on his viral video game.

Huffington Post

I have been soaked to the bone, thundered on, burnt, with sunstroke, in tears of joy and abject despair, terrified, and most memorably, absolutely stone cold sober surrounded by an ocean of drunkards 'moshing' to The Prodigy, aged 16 and looking for my friends.

Independent

Eventually, each panic attack I had would take longer to get over than the last and, over the space of a couple of weeks, they joined up in a constellation of frustration, tears and despair.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tears of despair" to vividly depict situations of utter hopelessness or profound sadness, adding emotional depth to your narrative. It works best when describing a character's internal state or the atmosphere of a tragic event.

Common error

Avoid using "tears of despair" in situations that are merely disappointing or mildly upsetting. The phrase is powerful and should be reserved for scenarios involving significant loss, trauma, or utter hopelessness to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tears of despair" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or preposition to vividly describe a state of profound sadness or hopelessness. As Ludwig AI says, it's correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tears of despair" is a noun phrase used to express deep sorrow and hopelessness. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While the phrase is relatively rare, it appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. When employing this expression, remember to reserve it for situations of extreme sadness and avoid overuse in mildly upsetting scenarios. As shown by Ludwig's examples, this evocative phrase effectively conveys intense emotions related to despair.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tears of anguish

Substitutes "despair" with a word that suggests extreme suffering and distress.

sorrowful tears

Replaces "despair" with a more general term for sadness, maintaining a similar emotional tone.

tears of grief

Replaces "despair" with "grief", focusing on sorrow related to loss.

tears of agony

Replaces "despair" with "agony", stressing intense physical or mental suffering.

crying in desperation

Uses the verb "crying" instead of "tears" and replaces "despair" with "desperation", emphasizing a sense of urgency and loss of hope.

weeping in hopelessness

Replaces "tears" as a noun with "weeping" as a verb and rewords "despair" to "hopelessness" maintaining the sentiment.

heartbroken tears

Highlights the emotional pain and sorrow associated with a broken heart.

despairing sobs

Inverts the structure and uses "sobs" to emphasize the act of crying, coupled with the adjective "despairing".

desolate weeping

Uses "weeping" instead of tears and "desolate" to emphasize feelings of abandonment and emptiness.

bitter tears

Uses the adjective "bitter" to describe the tears, highlighting the intense negativity of the emotion.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "tears of despair" in a sentence?

To use "tears of despair" effectively, place it in contexts depicting extreme sadness, loss, or hopelessness. For example, "The refugees, facing starvation, shed "tears of despair" at the thought of their uncertain future."

What are some alternatives to "tears of despair"?

Alternatives include "sorrowful tears", "tears of anguish", or "weeping in hopelessness". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "tears of despair" suitable for formal writing?

"Tears of despair" is suitable for formal writing when used to describe a situation or character experiencing profound grief or hopelessness. It's more common in narrative or descriptive contexts rather than analytical ones.

What is the difference between "tears of despair" and "cries of despair"?

"Tears of despair" refers specifically to the act of crying due to hopelessness, while "cries of despair" suggests vocal expressions of anguish. The former focuses on the visual, while the latter emphasizes the auditory manifestation of intense emotion.