What does crybaby mean?
A crybaby is a person — usually a child — who cries too easily or complains too much about small setbacks. The word combines 'cry,' meaning to weep, with 'baby,' evoking the image of an infant whose default response to discomfort is tears. It functions as a noun in English and is firmly informal in register: it carries a mocking, belittling connotation, which makes it common in playground teasing, family banter, and sports talk, where players or fans accused of whining are labeled crybabies. The word can target two related behaviors: actual tearfulness at minor troubles, and persistent complaining or sulking even when no tears appear. Because of its derogatory tone, it should be used carefully in formal writing, where terms like 'overly sensitive' or 'prone to complaint' may serve better. Its vividness, however, makes it a memorable shorthand for emotional fragility in everyday conversation.
nounA person, especially a child, who cries or complains too easily or too often; someone who is given to tearful displays of distress over minor things.
- A person (especially a child) who cries readily or excessively.
- (Informal) A person who complains or sulks persistently about trivial matters.
"The coach warned the team not to be crybabies about the referee's calls."
"Nobody wanted to play cards with him after he turned out to be such a crybaby about losing."
"Stop being a crybaby and accept that sometimes plans change."
Follows the standard rule for nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant: change -y to -ies.
"Good teams don't make excuses or act like crybabies after a loss."
Despite its childish ring, 'crybaby' has been used to taunt everyone from schoolyard kids to professional athletes — and it even named a hit Melanie Martinez album.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crybaby
The word crybaby is an English compound formed from 'cry' (to shed tears), from the Old French/Latin root behind 'crier', and 'baby', a diminutive term for an infant. It emerged in colloquial English by the early nineteenth century as a teasing label for children prone to crying. Its components are native to the general Germanic and Romance vocabulary of English rather than deriving from a single classical root, so its closest relatives are simply other compounds built on 'cry' or 'baby'.
How crybaby is actually used
'Crybaby' is informal and mildly derogatory; calling an adult a crybaby can sound dismissive or insulting. It is most naturally applied to children, but figurative use for adults who complain is common in speech and sports commentary.
Easily confused with crybaby
Crybaby begins with 'cry' and refers to a person who cries easily, while 'crib' is a bed for a baby or, informally, a home.