tears subside

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tears subside" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone is crying and then their tears decrease or stop. For example: After a few minutes, the child's tears subsided and he was able to continue playing.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The tears subside, and melt into a few strong shudders.

The New Yorker

Or was it merely Philby's penchant for irony, his singing, along with Ol' Blue Eyes, "And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing"?

The New York Times - Books

You've been there for us in your inimitable way since we were born and never asked for anything in return, I could go on, but I think Sinatra said it best, You loved, you laughed and cried, you had your fill, your share of losing and now, as tears subside you'd find it all so amusing to think you did all that and may I say, not in a shy way, oh, no, oh, no, not you, you did it your way.

The New York Times

And now, as tears subside, I find I'm lost to DVDs and DivX screeners.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But as the months passed, the tears subsided.

Huffington Post

I will read my newspaper tomorrow -- when the tears have subsided enough.

Huffington Post

This was how Shammy was throughout her entire life, a dog who would greet you when you came home, stay by your side until your laughter or tears had subsided, and simply be there when you needed her.

Huffington Post

Once Gift is calm and the tears have subsided, they set off back home with blue vaccination cards which show they have received the measles-rubella vaccine.

Unicef

As the days and weeks of this summer of un-love lingered on, the tears began to subside.

Huffington Post

It had been four months since I was diagnosed, and these bursts of uncontrollable tears had mostly subsided.

Vice

Fignon crossed the line on the Champs-Elysées and subsided in tears on the cobbles, having lost by just eight seconds after almost 88 hours of racing – still the narrowest margin in Tour history.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tears subside" to describe a gradual calming after a period of crying, often implying a return to a more stable emotional state.

Common error

Avoid using "tears subside" to describe an immediate stop to crying. The phrase implies a gradual reduction, not an abrupt halt.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tears subside" functions as a descriptive element, often an intransitive verb, indicating the diminishing or ceasing of tears. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase as correct and usable. Examples show it in contexts describing emotional recovery or calming.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

12%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tears subside" is a grammatically sound phrase that describes a gradual reduction or cessation of crying. While categorized as rare, based on the limited examples, Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts, primarily in news and media. When using the phrase, remember that it implies a gradual calming, as opposed to a sudden stop, which can make the user mistake. Alternative phrases like "crying diminishes" or "weeping lessens" can be used to convey similar meanings. Overall, this phrase is best suited for depicting emotional transitions and a return to a more stable state.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crying diminishes

Changes the verb to 'diminishes', focusing on the gradual reduction of crying.

weeping lessens

Replaces 'tears' with 'weeping' and 'subside' with 'lessens', offering a slightly more formal tone.

sobbing eases

Uses 'sobbing' to describe the crying and 'eases' to indicate a reduction in intensity.

lamenting fades

Replaces crying with the more emotive "lamenting" and use fades for a poetic sense.

eyes dry

This phrase focuses on the physical result of tears stopping, the drying of the eyes.

grief abates

Shifts the focus to the underlying emotion of grief lessening, rather than the physical act of crying.

sorrow wanes

Similar to 'grief abates', this highlights the diminishing of sorrow, the emotion behind the tears.

anguish diminishes

Anguish is a more intense emotion and this phrase is less descriptive than the original one

distress fades away

Emphasizes the gradual disappearance of distress that triggers tears.

misery ends

A strong statement which focuses on the end of misery instead of just the tears.

FAQs

What does "tears subside" mean?

The phrase "tears subside" means that crying is gradually decreasing or stopping. It implies a calming down after a period of emotional distress.

What can I say instead of "tears subside"?

You can use alternatives like "crying diminishes", "weeping lessens", or "sobbing eases" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the tears subsided"?

Yes, "the tears subsided" is grammatically correct. It's the past tense form, indicating that the crying has already diminished or stopped.

How can I use "tears subside" in a sentence?

You can use "tears subside" in sentences like: "After a few minutes, the child's "tears subside" and he was able to continue playing.", or "As the months passed, the "tears subside" after the initial shock."