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 footage shows a tearful baby boy sitting in his car seat while holding an iPhone. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025 Soon before the green confetti fell, a tearful Smith sought out Hurts. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025 Waring has recorded a tearful video begging people to support this one-of-a-kind refuge. Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 9 Feb. 2025 Chrissy Teigen is defending Selena Gomez after her tearful video about the Trump administration’s mass deportations led to a response video from the White House. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 4 Feb. 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

Dictionary Entries Near tearful

Cite this Entry

“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearful. Accessed 24 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!