“Crocodile tears” means insincere sadness or a show of grief that is not genuine. People use it when someone appears to cry or act sorry, but others believe the emotion is only for effect.
The expression comes from an old belief that crocodiles shed tears while attacking or eating their prey. That image made the phrase powerful: the creature seems to be crying, yet it is still harming its victim. Because of that contrast, the expression came to mean false sorrow.
Today, people usually use it critically. It suggests that the crying is manipulative, performative, or meant to gain sympathy.
- He offered crocodile tears after the lie was exposed.
- Her apology sounded sincere at first, but the audience felt it was just crocodile tears.
This idiom does not mean ordinary crying. It specifically suggests that the sadness is not real. If someone is truly upset, calling it crocodile tears can sound harsh, so the phrase is best used when there is a clear reason to doubt the person’s sincerity.