: a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that on dispersion in the atmosphere irritates mucous membranes resulting especially in blinding of the eyes with tears and that is used chiefly (as by the police and the military) to disperse large crowds of people
variants
or tear gas
or less commonly teargas
tear-gassed or tear gassed also teargassed; tear-gassing or tear gassing also teargassing; tear-gases or tear gasses also teargasses
: to use tear gas on
The troops then tear-gassed the crowd of several hundred, mostly teenagers and young men, which scattered in great confusion, but re-formed later.—
Roger Daniels
Roger DanielsExamples of tear gas in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fox News, 9 Jan. 2025
As celebratory crowds swarmed Mr. Mondlane’s motorcade in Maputo on Thursday, witnesses say the police, with little provocation, responded with tear gas and bullets, leaving at least one man dead on the sidewalk with blood gushing from his head.
—Tavares Cebola, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
After remarks on stage — punctuated by boos and calls to resign — Wheeler ended up on the front lines of the protest and was among hundreds who were tear-gassed by federal agents.
—Kale Williams, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
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Noun
In central Valencia, protesters gathered at another location after initially being met with tear gas.
—Fox News, 9 Jan. 2025
As celebratory crowds swarmed Mr. Mondlane’s motorcade in Maputo on Thursday, witnesses say the police, with little provocation, responded with tear gas and bullets, leaving at least one man dead on the sidewalk with blood gushing from his head.
—Tavares Cebola, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
Security footage shows one officer pointing a grenade or tear-gas launcher at rioters’ heads as members of Congress rush down a nearby staircase, slipping on the fire extinguisher residue that coats the stairs.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025
After remarks on stage — punctuated by boos and calls to resign — Wheeler ended up on the front lines of the protest and was among hundreds who were tear-gassed by federal agents.
—Kale Williams, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear gas
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Cite this Entry
“Tear gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20gas. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
teargas
1 of 2 verb
tear·gas
ˈti(ə)r-ˌgas 
: to use tear gas on
tear gas
2 of 2 noun
: any of various substances that cause eye irritation and blind the eyes with tears when released into the air and that are used mostly to scatter mobs
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