tearful

adjective

tear·​ful ˈtir-fəl How to pronounce tearful (audio)
Synonyms of tearfulnext
1
: flowing with or accompanied by tears
tearful entreaties
2
: causing tears : teary
a tearful eulogy
tearfully
ˈtir-fə-lē How to pronounce tearful (audio)
adverb
tearfulness noun

Synonyms of tearful

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Examples of tearful in a Sentence

He looked up at me with his tearful eyes and asked for help. the tearful parting of two lovers
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Watch Swift's tearful speech in the video above. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 After a tearful goodbye with Fern, Kat finally made her way to the present day. — Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026 The posts, which have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, have drawn tearful responses from many online. — Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 21 June 2026 But the most heartbreaking scenes are of Bonnie, who is distraught and tearful after receiving hurtful messages online. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tearful

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tearful was circa 1586

Rhymes for tearful

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Browse Nearby Words

tear fault
tearful
tear gas
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Cite this Entry

“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearful. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tearful

adjective
tear·​ful ˈti(ə)r-fəl How to pronounce tearful (audio)
: flowing with, accompanied by, or causing tears
tearfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce tearful (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tearful

Nglish: Translation of tearful for Spanish Speakers

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