tear gas

1 of 2

noun

: 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

tear-gas

2 of 2

verb

ˈtir-ˌgas 

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

transitive verb

: 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

Examples of tear gas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In Rome’s central Piazzale Ostiense, hooded protesters threw stones, bottles, and even a street sign at the police, who responded using water cannons and tear gas. —Sylvie Corbet and Giada Zampano, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2024

World & Nation After hostage killings, can the Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks be revived? Sept. 3, 2024 Soldiers surrounded the praying group, and clashes soon broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Pollak said. —Julia Frankel and Aref Tufana, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024

Verb

Quintero hid for two hours in a closet, listening to gunshots and what sounded like bombs — possibly grenades or tear-gas canisters. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024

Months of fierce protest, at which demonstrators were tear-gassed, soon thrust the city into the national spotlight. —CBS News, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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

Medical Definition

tear gas

noun

: a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that on dispersion in the atmosphere irritates mucous membranes resulting especially in blinding of the eyes with tears