tearful

adjective

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

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.
The cast also took turns sharing special stories from their time in the show, which ranged from silly off-stage antics to tearful anecdotes. Raven Brunner, People.com, 25 July 2025 Victim families delivered tearful testimony at Bryan Kohberger's sentencing. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 July 2025 The team signed a ball and handed it to a tearful Yvonne. Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 24 July 2025 Enciso grew tearful on the witness stand Wednesday as the trial for Montano resumed at the Leighton Criminal Court Building after jurors heard testimony from seven witnesses Tuesday. Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearful. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

tearful

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

More from Merriam-Webster on tearful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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