for crying out loud

US/fɚ ˈkɹaɪ.ɪŋ aʊt ˌlaʊd/

interjection

Used to express frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

“Oh, for crying out loud, get off the computer! You've been on there for ages!”

Similar
FFSfor Christ's sakefor cripes' sakefor crying in the beerfor fucking out loudfor fuck's sakefor God's sakefor goodness' sake
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Meanings

interjection

alternative for cryin' out loud

  1. colloquialidiomaticUsed to express frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

    Oh, for crying out loud, get off the computer! You've been on there for ages!

    2 more examples

    'I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud!'

    1997 June 26, J. K. Rowling [pseudonym; Joanne Rowling], chapter IV, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter; 1), London: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN

    Waldo739 asks a "what would you do?" question: "So it's August 31st, 1939, and you are Captain Gustav Kleikamp" - I think - "standing on the bridge wing of SMS" - oh, for crying out loud - "SMS Schleswig-Holstein, drinking a cup of tea[…]"

    2020 May 3, Drachinifel, 37:29 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 092, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2022

    Synonyms: FFS, for Christ's sake, for cripes' sake, for crying in the beer, for fucking out loud, for fuck's sake, for God's sake, for goodness' sake

Synonyms & antonyms

interjectionUsed to express frustration, exasperation, or annoyance.

Similar
FFSfor Christ's sakefor cripes' sakefor crying in the beerfor fucking out loudfor fuck's sakefor God's sakefor goodness' sakefor heaven's sakefor mercy's sakefor Pete's sakefor pity's sakefor the love of all that is holyfor the love of Betsyfor the love of Godfor the love of Mikefor the love of Mosesfor the love of fuckfor the love of Pete
Also see
for christ's sakefor crying in the beerfor fucking out loudfor fuck's sakefor god's sakefor goodness' sakefor goodness' sakesfor heaven's sakefor mercy's sakefor pete's sakefor pity's sakefor the love of betsyfor the love of godfor the love of mikefor the love of peteheavens

Origin

Minced version of for Christ's sake.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech pro pět ran do čepice
  • pro pět ran do čepicemoderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
German verflixt und zugenäht, zum Donnerwetter
  • verflixt und zugenähtmoderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
  • zum Donnerwettermoderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
  • "Himmel, Herrgott, Sakrament"moderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
  • Grundgütiger!moderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
Polish na miłość boską, na litość boską
  • na miłość boskąmoderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
  • na litość boskąmoderated or minced versions of for Christ's sake or similarly used instead
Cite this entry
APA

for crying out loud. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20crying%20out%20loud

MLA

“for crying out loud.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20crying%20out%20loud. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “for crying out loud,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20crying%20out%20loud.

Source: for crying out loud on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.