shed crocodile tears
Meaning
To pretend to be sad or remorseful; to show insincere or fake tears.
Origin
From the ancient belief (reported in medieval bestiaries and travel accounts) that crocodiles weep while luring or eating their prey—symbolizing false displays of sorrow.
Notes
A negative, accusatory idiom implying the person’s sadness/regret is fake. Common in speech and writing; saying it to someone directly can sound harsh.
Examples
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He shed crocodile tears after getting caught lying to his team.
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Don’t shed crocodile tears now—you had plenty of chances to apologize.
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The politician shed crocodile tears for the cameras, but changed nothing afterward.
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She was clearly shedding crocodile tears to make her coworkers feel guilty.
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I’m tired of him shedding crocodile tears every time he faces consequences.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as “shed crocodile tears” (verb + object). Can inflect: “she shed…,” “he’s shedding…”. Also common as a noun phrase: “crocodile tears.” Article is typically not used with the set phrase.
Synonyms
- feign remorse
- fake it
- put on a show
- insincere apology
- crocodile tears
Antonyms
- be genuinely sorry
- show genuine remorse
- be sincere
- mean it