Cry over spilled milk

Meaning

This idiom means to waste time or energy regretting something that cannot be undone, such as a past mistake or loss. It advises against dwelling on irreversible events, promoting acceptance and forward-thinking instead. The phrase is used in personal, professional, or emotional contexts to encourage resilience, often with a gentle or admonishing tone, and reflects the futility of lamenting what’s already happened.

Origin

The phrase likely originated in 17th-century English, tied to domestic life where spilling milk was a common, irreversible loss in households dependent on limited resources. An early version appears in James Howell’s 1659 *Paroimiografia*: ‘No weeping for spilt milk.’ The proverb reflects agrarian values of practicality and thrift. By the 19th century, it was widely used, with Charles Dickens employing it in *Barnaby Rudge* (1841) to dismiss futile regrets. Its spread in American English, especially during the Great Depression, underscored its relevance to coping with loss, and it remains a universal metaphor for letting go of the past.

Variants (3)
Cry over spilt milk
No use crying over spilled milk
Don’t cry over spilled milk
Usage Examples (6)
There’s no use crying over spilled milk—let’s move on from the failed deal and find new opportunities.
She cried over spilt milk for days after missing the deadline, but it didn’t change anything.
Don’t cry over spilled milk; you can’t undo the argument, so just apologize and move forward.
He was upset about losing the game, but crying over spilled milk won’t improve his skills.
No use crying over spilt milk—focus on preparing for the next exam instead of regretting the last one.
They cried over spilled milk after the event flopped, but learned to plan better next time.