How do you show someone is crying in dialogue? (as in, is there an onomatopoeia that can show crying well? I ask because "(insert dialogue)..sniffle..(insert dialogue)..snifle..", does show that the effects of crying are playing a role in the dialogue but is there a better, or cooler onomatopoeia that could be used?) Also, is there a single word or phrase to say that someone is slowly stopping crying?
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"How could you do that to me?" Jane sobbed.– Hot LicksCommented Apr 4, 2016 at 12:28
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1In comics, it's common to see "sob" used for this– NVZ ♦Commented May 4, 2016 at 10:58
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"Cries in Spanish"– NVZ ♦Commented May 4, 2016 at 12:04
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We also say someone "chokes back tears," but that's usually before crying, not after.– Chuckk HubbardCommented Apr 12, 2018 at 23:44
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3 Answers
You can use:
Sob
Weep convulsively
As in slowly stopped crying, so far I have never read about its onomatopoeia.
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"Sob" is a good choice for "serious" crying, ie due to something that is genuinely very upsetting. It gives the impression of very strong emotion. Commented Apr 4, 2016 at 9:12
Waa! He wants me to cry! Boo Hoo! You're so mean! Sniffle.
Waa
Meaning: Crying
Definition
A whiny term that sounds like someone crying; used jokingly.
Example
"I forgot to get a coffee at Starbucks today. Waa!"
boo·hoo
ˌbo͞oˈho͞o/
exclamation
used to represent the sound of someone crying noisily.
verb
cry noisily.
"she broke down and boohooed"
sniffle
snif·fle
ˈsnifəl
verb
sniff slightly or repeatedly, typically because of a cold or fit of crying.
noun
an act of sniffing because of a cold or crying.
"he was restraining his sniffles rather well"
answered Apr 4, 2016 at 4:04
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3Just to add some more info, "waa" and "boo-hoo" are used to denote children crying, or an adult crying for childish reasons (when used with adults they are most commonly mocking, eg someone saying "Oh, boo hoo!" to someone to mock them for crying, or overreacting to something). You wouldn't use them to describe an adult crying for good reason, such as the death of a loved one, or the end of a relationship. Commented Apr 4, 2016 at 9:10
My eyes drip with tears. My walls, the walls that hold me up, make me strong just... collapse. Moment by moment, they fall. Salty drops fall from my chin, drenching my shirt. Perhaps these tears will help wash the blood out. I press my head against the wall... baby blue, so innocent... I am anything but innocent. I'm trembling. I can't-can't stop. Even as I press my hand against the wall it shakes, it trembles. It's raw, everything, raw tears, raw emotions. I can't stop... I can't stop. Why can I not stop crying?
Not my work, but love this writing!!!
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If you didn't write this, you need to attribute your source (preferably also linking to it).– Laurel ♦Commented Apr 12, 2018 at 22:52