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loudly crying face

😭

loudly crying face

😭 shows a face with eyes squeezed shut and thick streams of tears pouring down the cheeks, with the mouth open as if wailing. It is one of the most intense emotional expressions in the emoji set.

Its most common meaning is to express overwhelming emotion, ranging from deep sadness to joyful relief, excitement, or affection that feels “too big to hold in.” People use it when something hits hard emotionally, not only when they are literally crying.

Despite being one of the earliest emojis added to Unicode, 😭 has become extremely popular in the era of modern social media in the mid-2020s. People often want one emoji that can communicate very intense feelings quickly and dramatically, and this one fits that role perfectly.

  • Your favorite show just killed off your favorite character.

    WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT 😭😭😭

Groups
Smileys & Emotion
Subgroups
face-concerned
Unicode
U+1F62D
Variant status
Fully-qualified
Emoji version
E0.6
General

😭 is often used to express a feeling of being deeply moved or emotionally overwhelmed by something tender or touching. It reflects reactions like “I’m so touched,” “I’m deeply moved,” “I can’t handle how sweet this is,” or “I’m crying because this means so much.” Especially in warm or nostalgic moments, 😭 shows emotion that feels too strong for words.

  • You are watching your mom teach your daughter how to braid her hair.

    I’m crying over here 😭 It feels like I’m seeing the two of us from all those years ago.

General

😭 is also used to react to something extremely adorable. It works as an exaggerated “aww” response, showing that the cuteness is almost overwhelming. People use it for babies, pets, romantic gestures, or anything that feels irresistibly sweet.

  • You find an unbelievably cute baby penguin in a game.

    This is so cute 😭✨”

General

😭 can also express embarrassed laughter or a reaction to something hilariously dumb. It often appears when someone messes up in a ridiculous way, says something awkward, or when a situation is so stupid that it becomes funny.

  • You are venting in a Discord chat.

    I spent ten days training this machine-learning model and it still labels every dog🐶 as a cat🐱. Man I'm actually losing it😭

General

😭 can also show the feeling you get when long-term effort finally pays off. It expresses an overwhelming mix of relief, pride, and happiness, the “I finally did it, I’m actually crying” kind of reaction after reaching a big goal.

  • You are celebrating hitting one million YouTube subscribers.

    One million subs in three years 😭😭😭 I started this in my mom’s garage with no idea where it would go. Thank you to everyone who stayed with me and carried me through this journey just by being here.

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Related emojis that share similar meanings or usage.

😢
crying face

Shows sadness, emotional pain, or heartfelt sympathy. It’s the single-tear version of 😭—more quiet and genuine, less dramatic.

🥹
face holding back tears

Used to show that you’re deeply touched, grateful, or emotionally moved, often in a sweet or bittersweet way. It’s the “I’m gonna cry but in a cute way” face — perfect when words can’t capture how soft or thankful you feel.

😖
confounded face

Shows frustration, struggle, or emotional pain—like when something keeps going wrong and you just can’t deal anymore. It’s a “why is this happening to me?” kind of face.

☹️
frowning face

Shows real sadness, frustration, or disappointment. It’s heavier than 🙁—a small but unmistakable “I’m not okay.”

🥲
smiling face with tear

🥲 is the go-to emoji for smiling on the outside while feeling deeply moved or hurt on the inside. It perfectly captures that "I'm fine 🥲" energy, forcing a gentle smile through tears when you're overwhelmed, bittersweet, or just trying to keep things light. Visually, the contrast between the polite smile and the single tear is what makes it so powerful. It isn't full-on crying like 😢 (crying face) but sits in its own fragile and layered space, where the smile is the mask and the tear is the honest truth that escapes. Emotionally, it nails the duality of quiet heartbreak or being unexpectedly touched by kindness. It shines in those "happy-sad" moments, such as saying a tough goodbye or finishing something exhausting, where you want to show vulnerability without demanding a huge reaction. While 🙂 stays flat and 😢 is openly sad, 🥲 quietly signals that something hurts or touches you even as you try to stay brave. It’s the perfect emoji for gentle vulnerability, letting just enough truth show through.