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.
During the broadcast, the beloved NBC personality was feted with everything from celebrity well-wishes (including Oprah and Jamie Lee Curtis) to tearful moments with her co-stars — and crew. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 Hoda Kotb had a tearful sendoff Friday during her last day on Today, the NBC morning news franchise. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2025 Final show recap:Hoda Kotb bids tearful 'Today' show farewell Need a break? Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025 And The Wife actress had plenty of (less tearful) memories to reflect on during her talk show appearance. Luke Chinman, People.com, 9 Jan. 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 18 Jan. 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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