crybaby
MediumInformal, often pejorative, colloquial
Definition
Meaning
A person, especially a child, who cries easily or complains frequently about minor problems.
An adult who is perceived as overly sensitive, complaining, or unable to handle criticism or adversity without emotional outbursts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The term is inherently negative and dismissive, implying weakness or immaturity. It's often used to criticize someone's emotional response as disproportionate to the situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical in both varieties. The term is equally common and understood. The hyphenated form 'cry-baby' is perhaps slightly more common in British publishing historically, but 'crybaby' is standard in both.
Connotations
Identical negative connotation of immaturity and oversensitivity.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to be a crybabyto call someone a crybabyto stop being such a crybabyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idiom, but the word itself functions as a metaphorical compound]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare and highly unprofessional. Might be used very informally to describe a colleague who cannot handle constructive feedback.
Academic
Not used in formal academic writing. Could appear in sociological or psychological texts discussing pejorative labels.
Everyday
Common in informal speech, especially among children, parents, and in casual adult conversation to chastise perceived oversensitivity.
Technical
Not a technical term.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He does tend to crybaby a bit when he's losing.
American English
- Don't crybaby just because the meeting ran long.
adverb
British English
- [Extremely rare; not standard]
American English
- [Extremely rare; not standard]
adjective
British English
- He gave a very crybaby performance after the foul was called.
American English
- That was a crybaby move, complaining to the manager.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Tom is a crybaby. He cried when he lost the game.
- Don't be a crybaby! It's only a small cut.
- My little sister is such a crybaby if she doesn't get her way.
- The coach told the player to stop his crybaby behaviour on the pitch.
- Politicians often dismiss their critics as crybabies who can't handle the truth.
- His crybaby response to the negative review was unprofessional.
- The columnist decried the 'crybaby culture' of seeking constant validation and avoiding discomfort.
- Labelling all protestors as crybabies is a rhetorical tactic to delegitimise genuine grievance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a baby who CRIES – a 'crybaby' is someone who acts like that, crying or complaining over small things.
Conceptual Metaphor
AN IMMATURE/OVERSENSITIVE PERSON IS A BABY (who cries).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque like 'плачущий ребенок'. The established equivalent is 'плакса' (for any gender) or 'нытик' (more 'whiner'). 'Crybaby' is an insult, not a neutral description.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Confusing it with 'baby who is crying' (which is a literal description).
- Misspelling as two words ('cry baby') is common but less standard.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would using the term 'crybaby' be MOST inappropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often used for children, it is frequently applied to adults as a pejorative term for someone deemed overly sensitive or complaining.
The standard modern spelling is as one word: 'crybaby'. The hyphenated form 'cry-baby' is an older variant but is less common today.
Yes, in very familiar contexts it can be used in a teasing, light-hearted way (e.g., 'Oh, don't be such a crybaby, it's just a bit of rain!'), but caution is needed as it can easily cause offense.
They are very close synonyms. 'Crybaby' strongly implies a childish, tearful reaction, while 'whiner' focuses more on the persistent, annoying act of complaining, which may not involve actual crying.