: 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
Bulmaro Vicente, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025
Earlier this month, a federal judge prohibited federal agents from using tear gas and other weapons against protesters, journalists and others who do not pose an immediate threat to agents, reports WTTW.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
In June 2022, Luis Berkman was sentenced to 38 months in the Bolivian tear-gas case, but it was later reduced to 32 months for his cooperation.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear gas
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Noun
Peaceful protestors were met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
—Bulmaro Vicente, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025
Earlier this month, a federal judge prohibited federal agents from using tear gas and other weapons against protesters, journalists and others who do not pose an immediate threat to agents, reports WTTW.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Bovino appeared in federal court Tuesday to face questions surrounding the incident and other tear-gas deployments in the city.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
In June 2022, Luis Berkman was sentenced to 38 months in the Bolivian tear-gas case, but it was later reduced to 32 months for his cooperation.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear gas
Cite this Entry
“Tear gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20gas. Accessed 31 Oct. 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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