What does crying all the way to the bank mean? Now, you might have heard of laughing all the way to the bank—a phrase that indicates someone is making a lot of money, typically in a way others may find disgraceful or unfair. But what does it mean when someone is crying all the way to the bank? Is it a bad investment? An emotional bank teller? Buckle up; it’s time to crack the case.
Laughing All the Way to the Bank vs. Crying All the Way to the Bank
Laughing all the way to the bank is a phrase we use to describe someone making a great deal of money, especially at the expense of others or in a manner that others might deem immoral or underhanded.
But the phrase crying all the way to the bank isn’t just the emotional opposite. It’s often used ironically to refer to someone complaining or lamenting about a situation, even though they’re profiting from it.
Meaning of Crying All the Way to the Bank
The phrase crying all the way to the bank means complaining or acting like you’re experiencing hardship, while in reality, you’re actually making a butt load of money or gaining significant benefits.
Cry All the Way to the Bank Origin and Etymology
Like so many idiomatic expressions we use, the exact origin isn’t certain. But the phrase is generally believed to be a spin-off of the phrase laughing all the way to the bank. The term gained popularity when it was used by Liberace, the famous American pianist and showman, in response to negative reviews about his performance in Madison Square Garden.
Synonyms for Crying All the Way to the Bank
It’s hard to put it into other words, but you can get the point across with these alternative phrases.
- Fake lamenting while profiting
- Feigning sadness while gaining
- Pretending hardship while earning
- Moaning on the way to profit
- Complaining all the way to fortune
Crying All the Way to the Bank Examples in a Sentence
- Despite the bad press, he was crying all the way to the bank after the success of his latest venture.
- The critics were harsh, but the movie director just cried all the way to the bank.
- With their high prices, they’re crying all the way to the bank, feigning concern about production costs.
- The footballer may seem upset about the transfer, but he’s really crying all the way to the bank.
- Although she complained about the rigorous schedule, the pop star was crying all the way to the bank.
- Despite the outcry over the price of their new product, the company was crying all the way to the bank.
- The new artist may lament over the struggles of fame, but at the end of the day, he’s crying all the way to the bank.
- Their product might be overpriced, but they’re certainly crying all the way to the bank.
- While he made a big fuss over the deal, the shrewd businessman was actually crying all the way to the bank.
Are You Laughing or Crying?
And just like that, we’ve solved another idiomatic mystery. Next time you hear someone moaning about their situation, you’ll be able to discern if they’re genuinely upset or just crying all the way to the bank. Keep your detective hat on and your wit sharp because language is a never-ending treasure trove of cool expressions like this.
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