Have you ever felt so touched, grateful, or emotional that you’re on the brink of tears? That’s exactly what the holding back tears emoji 🥹 captures perfectly.
This powerful emotional emoji has become one of the most popular ways to express deep emotion in our digital conversations.
In this complete guide, you’ll discover everything about the face holding back tears emoji, from its meaning to the best ways to use it.
Whether you’re texting friends, posting on social media, or expressing gratitude emoji moments, this guide will help you master the 🥹 emoji like a pro.
What Is the Holding Back Tears Emoji?
The 🥹 emoji, officially called the “Face Holding Back Tears,” shows a yellow face with glossy, teary eyes and a gentle smile. The expression perfectly captures someone who is trying to stay strong while feeling overwhelmed by emotions.
Brief Description
This teary-eyed emoji features large, glistening eyes that look like they’re about to overflow with tears, combined with a slight smile and sometimes a subtle blush.
The face represents that exact moment when you’re holding back tears because you’re so moved and touched by something beautiful, kind, or meaningful.
The face holding back tears design shows vulnerability and strength at the same time. It’s that feeling when someone does something incredibly thoughtful, and you want to cry happy tears but you’re also smiling because you’re so grateful.
Unicode Information
- Unicode Name: Face Holding Back Tears
- Unicode Version: Unicode 14.0
- Emoji Version: Emoji 14.0
- Unicode Code Point: U+1F979
- Year Released: September 2021
- Category: Smileys & Emotion
- Subcategory: Concerned Face
When It Was Created
The holding back tears emoji was officially introduced in September 2021 as part of Unicode 14.0 and Emoji 14.0. Since its release, it has quickly become one of the most beloved and frequently used emojis across all platforms.
This emotional emoji was created to fill a gap in digital expression. Before 🥹 existed, people struggled to convey that specific feeling of bittersweet feelings, overwhelming gratitude, or heartfelt appreciation that makes you want to cry happy tears.
What Does 🥹 Mean? (Multiple Meanings)
The face holding back tears emoji is incredibly versatile and can express many different emotions depending on the context. Here are all the meanings this sentimental emoji can convey:
Gratitude and Appreciation
The most common use of the 🥹 emoji is to express overwhelming gratitude and heartfelt appreciation. When someone does something incredibly kind or thoughtful, this grateful emoji perfectly captures that feeling of being so thankful you could cry.
Examples of gratitude moments:
- When someone remembers your birthday without a reminder
- Receiving unexpected help during a difficult time
- Someone going out of their way to support you
- Getting a heartfelt compliment that means everything
- When friends show up for you when you need them most
This appreciation emoji shows you’re not just saying “thanks” casually you’re genuinely touched by someone’s kindness.
Emotional Overwhelm
Sometimes emotions hit so hard that you feel like you’re on the verge of crying. The 🥹 emoji expresses that emotional overwhelm when feelings are just too much to handle. This could be happy overwhelm, sad overwhelm, or a mixture of both.
The emotional intensity behind this emoji makes it perfect for those moments when you’re experiencing:
- Watching a heartwarming video that hits you right in the feels
- Hearing unexpectedly good news that takes your breath away
- Experiencing something so beautiful it’s almost painful
- Feeling the weight of multiple emotions at once
- That moment when everything becomes too much in the best way
Pride and Joy
The holding back tears emoji is perfect for expressing pride emoji moments when you’re so happy for yourself or someone else that you’re tearing up. This touched emoji captures that beautiful feeling of accomplishment and joy mixed together.
Pride and joy scenarios:
- Watching your child or sibling achieve something amazing
- Graduating after years of hard work
- Seeing a friend accomplish their dreams
- Reaching a personal goal you’ve worked toward for years
- Witnessing someone you love shine in their moment
This proud emoji shows you’re not just happy—you’re so deeply moved that your emotions are spilling over.
Bittersweet Moments
Life isn’t always purely happy or purely sad. The 🥹 emoji is exceptional at conveying bittersweet feelings those moments that are both joyful and melancholic at the same time. This is when the poignant sense of relief meets nostalgia or change.
Bittersweet examples:
- Saying goodbye to someone you love who’s moving away
- Finishing a chapter of your life (graduation, last day of work)
- Watching old photos and remembering beautiful memories
- Your kids growing up and becoming independent
- Achieving something you wish a loved one could see
The face holding back tears perfectly captures that complex emotion of being happy and sad simultaneously.
Trying to Stay Strong
Sometimes the 🥹 emoji represents vulnerability and the effort of keeping it together when you’re struggling. It shows you’re trying to stay strong despite feeling emotional, stressed, or overwhelmed. This relief emoji can indicate you’re barely holding on but still pushing through.
This meaning works when:
- You’re having a tough day but putting on a brave face
- Someone asks if you’re okay and you say “I’m fine” 🥹
- You’re dealing with something difficult but don’t want to break down
- Receiving support when you’re at your breaking point
- Finally finishing something exhausting or challenging
How to Use the Holding Back Tears Emoji (With Examples)
The holding back tears emoji is incredibly versatile. Here are over 15 real-life examples showing how to use this emotional emoji in different situations:
Text Message Scenarios
1. Expressing gratitude to a friend “Thank you so much for listening to me vent last night. You’re the best friend anyone could ask for 🥹”
2. Responding to a thoughtful gesture “You remembered my coffee order from three months ago?! 🥹 That’s so sweet”
3. Sharing good news “I GOT THE JOB!! I can’t believe it happened 🥹✨”
4. Reacting to a compliment “You really think my presentation was good? 🥹 That means everything to me”
5. Talking about family moments “Just watched my little sister’s dance recital and I’m not okay 🥹💕”
6. Feeling overwhelmed by support “Everyone’s been so kind during my recovery. I don’t deserve you all 🥹”
7. Nostalgic moments “Found our old middle school yearbook and I’m in my feelings 🥹”
8. When someone does something unexpected “You drove 2 hours just to bring me soup?? 🥹 I’m crying”
Social Media Posts
9. Instagram caption for achievements “Finally graduated after 4 years of all-nighters and stress. To everyone who believed in me 🥹❤️ #Graduation”
10. Twitter reaction to heartwarming content “Just saw a video of a dog being reunited with their owner after 2 years and now I’m absolutely destroyed 🥹”
11. Facebook milestone post “Celebrating 10 years with my best friend. Still can’t believe we found each other 🥹🎉”
12. TikTok comment “The way they surprised their mom with a new car 🥹 I’m sobbing in the club rn”
13. Responding to supportive comments “Reading all your kind messages and I’m literally holding back tears. Thank you for being so amazing 🥹🙏”
Professional vs Casual Use
14. Casual with close colleagues “Team lunch to celebrate the successful project launch! Best coworkers ever 🥹”
15. Semi-professional thank you “Thank you for the mentorship opportunity. Learning from you has been incredible 🥹”
Note: In formal professional settings, it’s better to avoid emojis entirely or use them very sparingly.
16. Casual use with acquaintances “Thanks for the birthday wishes! 🥹”
17. With romantic partners “You planned this whole surprise date? I love you so much 🥹💕”
18. Responding to constructive kindness “Your feedback was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you for caring enough to be honest 🥹”
19. Celebrating with online communities “We hit 10k members in this community! You all make this space so special 🥹✨”
20. When receiving recognition “Employee of the month?? Me?? 🥹 This is unreal”
Holding Back Tears vs Other Crying Emojis
Understanding the difference between crying face emoji options helps you choose the perfect one for every situation. Here’s how the 🥹 emoji compares to similar emotional emojis:
🥹 vs 🥺 Pleading Face
| Feature | 🥹 Holding Back Tears | 🥺 Pleading Face |
|---|---|---|
| Main Emotion | Gratitude, pride, being touched | Begging, requesting, cuteness |
| Tears | About to overflow | Glossy eyes, not crying |
| Smile | Gentle smile present | Slight frown or neutral |
| Meaning | Overwhelmed with positive emotion | Asking for something, sympathy |
| Usage | Responding to kindness | Making requests |
| Tone | Heartfelt appreciation | Puppy-dog eyes, pleading |
Key Difference: The pleading face emoji 🥺 is about wanting something or seeking sympathy, while 🥹 is about feeling grateful or moved by something that already happened.
Example:
- 🥺 “Can we please get ice cream?”
- 🥹 “You got my favorite ice cream without me asking!”
🥹 vs 😢 Crying Face
| Feature | 🥹 Holding Back Tears | 😢 Crying Face |
|---|---|---|
| Tears | Holding them back | One tear falling |
| Expression | Mixed emotion, slight smile | Sad, downturned mouth |
| Emotion Type | Usually positive/bittersweet | Sadness, disappointment |
| Intensity | Controlled emotion | Quiet sadness |
| Context | Happy tears, gratitude | Genuine sadness, sympathy |
| Energy | Warm, touched | Melancholic, somber |
Key Difference: The crying face emoji 😢 expresses genuine sadness or sympathy, while 🥹 usually indicates positive emotional overwhelm or bittersweet feelings.
Example:
- 😢 “I failed my driving test again”
- 🥹 “I passed my driving test on the first try!”
🥹 vs 😭 Loudly Crying Face
| Feature | 🥹 Holding Back Tears | 😭 Loudly Crying Face |
|---|---|---|
| Intensity | Controlled, restrained | Extreme, uncontrolled |
| Tears | Being held back | Streaming down face |
| Volume | Quiet emotional intensity | Loud, dramatic |
| Usage | Genuine deep emotion | Often used ironically |
| Tone | Sincere, vulnerable | Can be funny or dramatic |
| Emotion | Heartfelt, warm | Extreme joy or sadness |
Key Difference: The loudly crying face 😭 is much more dramatic and often used humorously, while 🥹 maintains a gentler, more sentimental quality.
Example:
- 😭 “This meme is KILLING me” (ironic laughter)
- 🥹 “This video of rescue dogs finding homes is killing me” (genuine emotion)
🥹 vs 🥲 Smiling Face with Tear
| Feature | 🥹 Holding Back Tears | 🥲 Smiling Face with Tear |
|---|---|---|
| Smile | Gentle, tender | Bigger, forced smile |
| Tears | Eyes full, about to spill | One visible tear |
| Meaning | Touched, grateful | Pretending to be okay |
| Authenticity | Genuine emotional response | Masking pain with smile |
| Context | Positive overwhelm | Sad but trying to laugh |
| Energy | Warm, heartfelt | Conflicted, resigned |
Key Difference: 🥲 often shows sadness masked by a smile (laughing through pain), while 🥹 shows genuine positive emotion that’s so strong it brings tears.
Example:
- 🥲 “It’s fine, I’m totally over it” (clearly not fine)
- 🥹 “I can’t believe you all remembered my birthday!”
Quick Comparison Table
| Emoji | Best For | Emotional Tone | Tears Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥹 | Gratitude, pride, being touched | Heartfelt, warm | About to cry |
| 🥺 | Pleading, requesting | Cute, seeking sympathy | Glossy eyes |
| 😢 | Sadness, sympathy | Melancholic, gentle | Single tear |
| 😭 | Extreme emotion, humor | Dramatic, intense | Many tears |
| 🥲 | Bittersweet, masking pain | Conflicted, resigned | One tear |
Best Emoji Combinations with 🥹
The holding back tears emoji works beautifully with other emojis to create even more specific meanings. Here are the most popular and effective emoji combinations:
🥹❤️ – Deep Love and Gratitude
This combination expresses heartfelt appreciation mixed with love. Use it when someone you care about does something incredibly meaningful or when you’re feeling overwhelmed with affection.
Perfect for:
- “Thank you for always being there for me 🥹❤️”
- “10 years together and you still surprise me 🥹❤️”
- “My kids made me breakfast in bed 🥹❤️”
🥹✨ – Magical or Special Moments
Adding sparkles to the face holding back tears emphasizes that something feels magical, special, or like a dream come true. This shows emotional overwhelm at something wonderful happening.
Perfect for:
- “Just got accepted to my dream school 🥹✨”
- “They said yes to the proposal 🥹✨”
- “This sunset is absolutely perfect 🥹✨”
🥹🙏 – Grateful Beyond Words
This powerful combination shows overwhelming gratitude and appreciation. The praying hands add a spiritual or deeply thankful element to your grateful emoji message.
Perfect for:
- “Thank you for the support during my surgery 🥹🙏”
- “Blessed to have friends like you 🥹🙏”
- “Made it through the hardest year of my life 🥹🙏”
🥹🤗 – Warm Emotional Support
Combining the holding back tears emoji with a hugging face shows you’re sending or receiving emotional support. It’s heartfelt and comforting.
Perfect for:
- “Sending you all my love right now 🥹🤗”
- “Thank you for the virtual hug when I needed it 🥹🤗”
- “Group hug after we all passed! 🥹🤗”
🥹💕 – Overwhelming Affection
This combination expresses being moved and touched by cuteness, sweetness, or affection. The two hearts add extra warmth and love to your emotional emoji message.
Perfect for:
- “Just saw a puppy video and I’m destroyed 🥹💕”
- “You’re the sweetest person ever 🥹💕”
- “Baby’s first steps caught on camera 🥹💕”
🥹👏 – Proud Applause
Show you’re proud and applauding someone while also being touched by their achievement. This proud emoji combination celebrates success with emotional intensity.
Perfect for:
- “You did it! I knew you could! 🥹👏”
- “Standing ovation for this performance 🥹👏”
- “Watching you grow has been incredible 🥹👏”
🥹😭 – Can’t Hold It Back Anymore
When the holding back tears becomes actual crying, this combination shows the progression from trying to stay strong to letting the emotions flow.
Perfect for:
- “Started watching this and now I’m full-on sobbing 🥹😭”
- “Trying not to cry at work but failing 🥹😭”
- “This is too much for my heart 🥹😭”
🥹🎉 – Emotional Celebration
Celebrate achievements while acknowledging how emotional the moment is. This shows pride and joy mixed with tears of joy.
Perfect for:
- “We finally launched our business! 🥹🎉”
- “Cancer-free for one year! 🥹🎉”
- “You’re getting married! 🥹🎉”
When to Use (And Not Use) This Emoji
Understanding the appropriate contexts for the holding back tears emoji ensures your messages land the way you intend. Here’s your complete guide to using 🥹 correctly.
Appropriate Contexts
1. Personal Achievements Use the 🥹 emoji when celebrating your own or others’ accomplishments that carry emotional weight. This touched emoji is perfect for milestone moments.
Examples:
- Graduations and educational achievements
- Career promotions or dream job offers
- Personal goals you’ve worked toward for years
- Overcoming significant challenges
2. Acts of Kindness When someone does something thoughtful or goes out of their way to help you, the grateful emoji 🥹 expresses heartfelt appreciation better than words alone.
Examples:
- Friends supporting you during tough times
- Unexpected gifts or gestures
- Someone remembering important details about you
- People showing up when you need them
3. Wholesome Content The emotional emoji is perfect for reacting to heartwarming videos, stories, or posts that make you feel sentimental.
Examples:
- Animal rescue videos
- Military homecoming surprises
- Acts of kindness caught on camera
- Nostalgic throwback content
4. Family Moments Express pride and joy about family milestones and sweet moments that make you overwhelmed with love.
Examples:
- Children’s first steps, words, or achievements
- Family reunions after long separations
- Parents’ anniversary celebrations
- Watching siblings grow up
5. Close Friendships Use with close friends to express vulnerability and deep emotion about your relationship.
Examples:
- Friendship anniversaries
- Inside jokes that hit different
- Supporting each other through life changes
- Expressing gratitude for long-term friendship
6. Romantic Relationships The face holding back tears works beautifully to show your partner how touched you are by their love and effort.
Examples:
- Thoughtful surprises or date nights
- Anniversary celebrations
- Moments of vulnerability and connection
- When they do something that shows they truly know you
Cultural Considerations
Western Cultures In the United States, Canada, and Europe, the 🥹 emoji is widely used and generally understood. People feel comfortable expressing emotional overwhelm and gratitude openly in digital communication.
Asian Cultures In countries like Japan, Korea, and China, emotional expression can be more reserved. However, the holding back tears emoji is still popular because it shows trying to stay strong rather than openly crying, which aligns with cultural values around emotional restraint.
Middle Eastern Cultures The emoji is used but context matters greatly. Gratitude and appreciation are highly valued, making 🥹 appropriate for thank-you messages. However, excessive emotional display might be less common in professional contexts.
Latin American Cultures These cultures typically embrace emotional expression warmly. The emotional emoji fits naturally into communication styles that value heartfelt connection and aren’t afraid of showing feelings.
Age Considerations
- Gen Z (born 1997-2012): Uses 🥹 frequently, often ironically or for wholesome content
- Millennials (born 1981-1996): Embraces the emoji for genuine emotional moments
- Gen X (born 1965-1980): More selective usage, typically for significant moments
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964): Less familiar but growing in adoption
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Using it for Negative Situations ❌ Wrong: “Just got fired 🥹” ✅ Better: “Just got fired 😢” or “😞”
The holding back tears emoji typically conveys positive or bittersweet feelings, not purely negative situations.
2. Overusing in Professional Settings ❌ Wrong: “Meeting at 2pm 🥹” ✅ Better: Save emojis for casual or semi-professional contexts
Excessive emoji use in formal business communication can seem unprofessional.
3. Using it Sarcastically ❌ Wrong: “Oh great, more homework 🥹” ✅ Better: Use 😒, 🙄, or 😑 for sarcasm
The 🥹 emoji doesn’t read as sarcastic—it seems sincere, so your sarcasm won’t land.
4. Mixing with Conflicting Emotions ❌ Wrong: “I’m so angry at you 🥹” ✅ Better: “I’m disappointed 😞” or “I’m upset 😠”
Don’t pair gratitude emoji vibes with anger or frustration—it creates confusion.
5. Using with Strangers or Acquaintances ❌ Wrong: “Thanks for holding the door 🥹” (to a stranger) ✅ Better: Save 🥹 for people you have a connection with
This emotional emoji implies a deeper level of feeling that might seem odd with strangers.
6. Not Considering Platform Differences The emoji might look slightly different on various devices, potentially changing the emotional intensity. Be aware that your iPhone 🥹 might appear more or less teary-eyed than on Android.
Trending Ways People Use 🥹
The holding back tears emoji has evolved beyond its original meaning and found unique places in modern internet culture. Here’s how different generations and communities are using this emotional emoji.
Gen Z Usage
1. Wholesome Content Reactions Gen Z loves using 🥹 to react to adorable or heartwarming content, especially animal videos, random acts of kindness, or nostalgic throwbacks.
Typical comments:
- “The way the cat hugged the dog 🥹”
- “Not me crying over a Pixar short at 2am 🥹”
- “This is so pure 🥹✨”
2. Emotional Vulnerability Unlike previous generations, Gen Z embraces emotional openness online. The 🥹 emoji helps them express vulnerability without feeling too exposed.
Common usage:
- “Actually proud of myself today 🥹”
- “My friends really showed up for me 🥹”
- “Therapy is working y’all 🥹”
3. Ironic Emotional Moments Gen Z often uses 🥹 with a hint of irony when something is almost too wholesome or when they’re acknowledging their own sentimental tendencies.
Examples:
- “Me getting emotional over a TikTok about friendship 🥹”
- “Why am I crying over this commercial 🥹”
- “Being soft hours activated 🥹”
4. Support and Validation Using 🥹 in comments shows solidarity and emotional support within Gen Z communities.
Typical responses:
- “So proud of you 🥹💕”
- “You deserved this 🥹✨”
- “This made my whole day 🥹”
Meme Culture
1. “I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying” The holding back tears emoji perfectly represents the classic meme format where people pretend they’re not emotional about something touching.
Format:
- “Just saw a video of a soldier surprising his family”
- “Me: I’m not crying 🥹”
- “Also me: sobbing uncontrollably”
2. Wholesome Meme Reactions Meme pages use 🥹 to react to unexpectedly sweet or heartfelt content that breaks through typical internet cynicism.
Examples:
- Wholesome gaming moments
- Celebrities being genuinely kind
- Unexpected friendship moments in shows
- Plot twists that are actually beautiful
3. “Too Pure for This World” When content is so innocent or kind that it feels overwhelming, meme culture deploys 🥹 to express that emotional overwhelm.
Common formats:
- “This dog waiting for their owner 🥹”
- “The way he talks about his grandma 🥹”
- “Children sharing toys 🥹”
4. Appreciation Posts Meme accounts create appreciation emoji posts highlighting underrated people, characters, or moments that deserve recognition.
Template:
- “Daily reminder to appreciate [person/thing]”
- “They really did that for us 🥹”
- “We don’t talk about this enough 🥹”
Popular on Social Media
1. Instagram Stories People use 🥹 extensively in Instagram Stories to react to:
- Friends’ accomplishments
- Relationship milestones
- Travel memories
- Throwback photos
- Supportive messages
2. Twitter/X Threads The emotional emoji appears in threads about:
- Wholesome celebrity interactions
- Heartwarming news stories
- Fandom moments
- Social justice wins
- Community support initiatives
3. TikTok Comments TikTok users flood comment sections with 🥹 on videos featuring:
- Parent-child bonding moments
- Pet reunions
- Surprise proposals
- Teachers going above and beyond
- Strangers helping strangers
4. Facebook Groups In community groups, especially parent groups and support communities, 🥹 expresses shared emotional intensity about:
- Milestone achievements
- Community fundraising successes
- Support during difficult times
- Celebration of small wins
5. Pinterest Captions Users pair the holding back tears emoji with:
- Wedding inspiration boards
- Baby shower planning
- Sentimental quotes
- Memory-keeping ideas
- Gratitude journaling prompts
Trending Hashtags with 🥹
Popular hashtag combinations include:
- #Grateful 🥹
- #Blessed 🥹
- #Wholesome 🥹
- #EmotionalDamage 🥹 (ironic)
- #InMyFeels 🥹
- #SoftHours 🥹
- #ProudMoment 🥹
Celebrity and Influencer Usage
Celebrities and influencers use 🥹 to:
- Thank fans for support
- Celebrate award nominations or wins
- Share bittersweet career moments
- Express gratitude for opportunities
- React to fan art or tributes
- Announce meaningful projects
This touched emoji helps public figures show authenticity and emotional connection with their audience while maintaining relatability.
How to Copy & Paste the Holding Back Tears Emoji
Getting the 🥹 emoji into your messages is easy once you know where to find it. Here are all the methods for every device and platform.
Quick Copy Button
Simply copy the emoji below:
🥹
Click or tap above, then paste wherever you need it using:
- Windows: Ctrl + V
- Mac: Command + V
- Mobile: Tap and hold, then select “Paste”
Keyboard Shortcuts on Different Devices
iPhone and iPad
Method 1: Emoji Keyboard
- Open any app where you can type (Messages, Notes, etc.)
- Tap the text field to bring up the keyboard
- Tap the emoji icon (smiley face) in the bottom left
- Tap the search icon (magnifying glass)
- Type “holding back tears” or “face holding”
- Tap 🥹 to insert it
Method 2: Text Replacement
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement
- Tap the “+” button
- In “Phrase,” paste: 🥹
- In “Shortcut,” type something like “tears1”
- Now whenever you type “tears1,” it will suggest 🥹
Android Devices
Method 1: Gboard (Google Keyboard)
- Open your keyboard in any app
- Tap the emoji icon (smiley face)
- Tap the search icon at the top
- Type “holding tears” or “grateful”
- Tap 🥹 to use it
Method 2: Samsung Keyboard
- Open your keyboard
- Tap the emoji button
- Tap the search icon
- Search for “holding back tears”
- Select 🥹
Windows 10 and 11
Method 1: Emoji Panel
- Click in any text field
- Press Windows key + . (period) or Windows key + ; (semicolon)
- The emoji panel will open
- Search for “holding back tears”
- Click 🥹 to insert
Method 2: Copy from Character Map
- Search for “Character Map” in Windows search
- Select “Advanced view”
- Search for “1F979” (the Unicode)
- Select and copy 🥹
Mac (macOS)
Method 1: Emoji Viewer
- Click in any text field
- Press Control + Command + Space
- The emoji picker opens
- Search “holding back tears”
- Click 🥹 to insert
Method 2: Character Viewer
- Go to Edit menu in most apps
- Select “Emoji & Symbols”
- Search for the face holding back tears
- Double-click to insert
Web Browsers (All Platforms)
Method 1: Right-Click Emoji Picker
- In many modern web apps (Gmail, Slack, etc.), right-click in the text field
- Select “Emoji” from the context menu
- Search for 🥹
Method 2: Copy from Online
- Visit emojipedia.org or any emoji website
- Find the holding back tears emoji
- Copy and paste into your message
Social Media Platforms
- Tap the text field (caption, comment, or DM)
- Tap the emoji icon on your keyboard
- Search “holding” or scroll to find 🥹
- Tap to insert
Twitter/X
- Click the tweet or reply box
- Click the emoji icon in the formatting toolbar
- Search “tears” or browse to find 🥹
- Click to add
- Click in the post, comment, or message box
- Click the emoji icon
- Search or scroll to find 🥹
- Click to insert
TikTok
- Tap the comment or caption field
- Tap your keyboard’s emoji button
- Search for the emotional emoji
- Tap 🥹
- Open a chat
- Tap the text field
- Tap the emoji icon
- Use the search feature to find “holding back tears”
- Tap 🥹
Desktop Applications
Slack
- Type a colon : in any message
- Start typing “holding” or “tears”
- Select 🥹 from the autocomplete menu
Discord
- Type a colon : in the chat
- Type “holding_back_tears” or similar
- Select from emoji suggestions
- Or use the emoji picker button
FAQs About the Holding Back Tears Emoji 😢✨
1. What does the Holding Back Tears emoji mean?
The Holding Back Tears emoji 😢✨ represents a mix of sadness, emotional overwhelm, gratitude, or a heartfelt reaction.
It is often used when someone is deeply touched, almost crying with emotion, or trying to stay strong in a difficult moment. It captures a more complex, bittersweet feeling than the standard crying emoji.
2. Is the Holding Back Tears emoji used only for sad situations?
Not at all. While it can express sadness or emotional struggle, it is equally common in positive contexts. People use it when they feel deeply moved—such as receiving a supportive message, seeing something cute, or reacting to a thoughtful gesture. It conveys “I’m about to cry… but in a good way.”
3. How is it different from the Crying Face 😢 or Loudly Crying Face 😭 emoji?
The Crying Face 😢 and Loudly Crying Face 😭 express open sadness, grief, or emotional outbursts. In contrast, the Holding Back Tears emoji suggests control, restraint, or trying to maintain composure.
It shows emotion without fully breaking down, making it perfect for subtle, heartfelt reactions.
4. When should I use the Holding Back Tears emoji online?
Use 😢✨ when you’re touched by a message or situation but want to communicate a softer emotional tone.
Examples include replying to supportive comments, reacting to nostalgia, expressing quiet gratitude, or acknowledging an emotional moment without dramatic flair. It’s especially popular on TikTok, Instagram captions, and sentimental posts.
5. Why has this emoji become so trendy recently?
Its rise in popularity comes from TikTok and meme culture. Users often pair it with emotional audio, heartfelt text overlays, or humorous “I’m trying not to cry” moments.
Its ability to express layered emotions—sadness, gratitude, love, nostalgia—makes it versatile and relatable, fueling its widespread use across social platforms.
Conclusion
The Holding Back Tears emoji 😢✨ has become one of the most expressive symbols in digital communication.
Unlike straightforward sad emojis, it conveys complex emotional layers—soft sadness, quiet appreciation, heartfelt reactions, and bittersweet feelings.
Its subtlety is what makes it powerful. Whether you’re reacting to a nostalgic memory, a meaningful message, or a touching moment, this emoji communicates emotion with grace and vulnerability.
As social media trends continue to shift toward authenticity and emotional expression, the Holding Back Tears emoji remains a perfect tool for capturing those “I’m trying not to cry” moments—whether serious, sentimental, or humorously relatable.
Its rising popularity shows how emojis continue to evolve as emotional language online, helping us connect and communicate more deeply with just a single symbol.