tears of fear

USAGE SUMMARY

'tears of fear' is an acceptable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a person shedding tears due to feeling frightened. For example, "When the alarm sounded, she was so scared she couldn't help but shed tears of fear."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"I'm sure they're tears of fear about spending the rest of his life in jail".

The New York Times

"Watching white nationalists celebrate while innocent Americans cry tears of fear does not feel like America".

The Guardian

It's such a convincing creation that there are a few tears of fear when the bear first lumbers on stage, but they're soon replaced with rapt silence.

The Guardian

Their tears of fear will not be quickly forgotten – along with a queasy sense of confusion as we left the favela, driving back to safety in stunned silence.

Vice

"She looked up at me as she turned left for the main cabin door, with tears of fear streaming down her face," the post read.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I cry happy tears and worried tears, out of fear and out of joy.

Huffington Post

We think mixing tears of abject fear and unbridled joy is a sure winner".

Huffington Post

Love's redemption is tearing up thinking about him, joyful tears not weeps of fear or sorrow.

Huffington Post

You shouldn't be able to get away with blending the grandiosity of Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair and Talk Talk's Spirit Of Eden into one ornate 3 30 pop song in 2012, but somehow Mothlite pull it off.

The Guardian - Music

Disturbed played its cover of Tears for Fears' 1985 hit "Shout," which was itself inspired by Arthur Janov's book "Primal Scream".

The New York Times - Arts

To a soulful soundtrack of Tears for Fears's Mad World, the ad shows how men and women are labelled differently when exhibiting the same behaviour.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tears of fear" to vividly depict a character's emotional state in writing, conveying a sense of vulnerability and intense fear.

Common error

Avoid using "tears of fear" interchangeably with phrases like "tears of sadness" or "tears of joy". "Tears of fear" specifically denotes crying caused by fright or apprehension. Using it in other contexts diminishes its intended impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tears of fear" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a description or qualifier within a sentence. It describes the type of tears being shed, indicating the emotional state causing them. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "tears of fear" is a grammatically correct and semantically valid expression used to describe crying caused by fear. According to Ludwig, this phrase is acceptable in written English and serves to vividly depict a character's emotional state. While relatively rare in occurrence, the phrase is primarily found in news and media contexts. When writing, it's important to use "tears of fear" to specifically denote crying caused by fright or apprehension, as replacing it with other expressions may diminish its intended impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crying out of fear

Focuses on the act of crying as a direct result of being afraid.

weeping from fright

Replaces "tears" with "weeping" and "fear" with "fright", both synonyms, changing the tone slightly.

sobbing in terror

Uses "sobbing" to emphasize the intensity of crying and "terror" to heighten the sense of fear.

bawling due to panic

Implies a louder, more unrestrained form of crying caused by intense panic.

distressed tears

Describes tears resulting from extreme emotional distress.

fearful tears

Adjectivally describes tears that are directly related to fear.

crying in apprehension

Focuses on the anticipation of fear, rather than immediate fear.

fears manifesting as tears

Highlights that tears are a physical manifestation of underlying fears.

emotional breakdown from fear

Expresses a more intense and overwhelming reaction where the person experiences an emotional breakdown because of fear.

moved to tears by fear

Describes the act of being caused to shed tears by fear.

FAQs

What does "tears of fear" mean?

The phrase "tears of fear" refers to crying that is caused by feeling frightened, terrified, or extremely anxious.

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

You can use "tears of fear" to describe someone's reaction to a scary or threatening situation. For example: "She looked up at me with "tears of fear" streaming down her face."

What are some alternative phrases for "tears of fear"?

Alternatives include "crying out of fear", "sobbing in terror", or "weeping from fright", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "I cried tears of fear"?

While grammatically correct, it might be slightly redundant, as tears already imply crying. A more concise phrasing would be, "I cried "out of fear"".