tearier; teariest
1
a
: wet or stained with tears : tearful
teary eyes
b
: consisting of tears or drops resembling tears
2
: causing tears : pathetic
a teary story

Examples of teary in a Sentence

There were many teary eyes among those in the audience. He made a teary farewell to the fans.
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.
There weren’t any teary, meaningful good-byes on set, though, because when production wrapped in March, the creators, cast, and crew didn’t yet know that season three would be their last. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2024 As our conversation rolls on, both Hilton and Richie are forthcoming and friendly, even offering up kindness to a teary fan who ambles over to our booth and asks for a photo of Hilton. Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2024 Krieger replied, along with teary eyed and heart emojis. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 19 Nov. 2024 His partner in bronze is back this weekend, only Doug Pederson isn’t interested in feel-good farewells or taking a teary stroll down memory lane. Dan Gelston, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for teary 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of teary was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near teary

Cite this Entry

“Teary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teary. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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!