cry over spilled milk
Meaning
To waste time being upset about something that already happened and can’t be changed.
Origin
Recorded from the 1600s; the image is of milk already spilled—once it’s on the ground, crying won’t restore it—so regretting the past is pointless.
Notes
Gently (or sometimes bluntly) tells someone not to dwell on past mistakes or losses. Common in speech; can sound unsympathetic if the listener is upset.
Examples
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I know you’re upset you missed the flight, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk—let’s book another one.
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We made a mistake on the report, but crying over spilled milk won’t fix it; we should focus on the revision.
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She apologized for the harsh comment, and I decided not to cry over spilled milk and just move on.
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If the cake didn’t rise, don’t cry over spilled milk—there’s time to bake a new one.
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He keeps replaying the argument in his head, but it’s just crying over spilled milk at this point.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed pattern: “cry over spilled milk” (no article). Often used with “don’t”/“stop”/“no use”/“there’s no point” + V-ing. “Spilled” is usually not changed.
Synonyms
- don’t dwell on it
- what’s done is done
- there’s no use regretting it
- no point in crying over it
Antonyms
- learn from the past
- look ahead
- move on