1
: flowing with or accompanied by tears
tearful entreaties
2
: causing tears : teary
a tearful eulogy
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
The National Director of Miss Universe Thailand, Nawat Itsaragrisil, was dismissed after a tearful apology campaign proved not enough to stem a growing tide of criticism.
—
Paula Soria, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Erika's speech at the event was a tearful tribute to her late husband and his political mission, though her introduction for JD went viral on social media for a different reason.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
In the Odyssey, Homer depicts Helen and Menelaus’s reunion as uneasy and sometimes tearful, after years of estrangement.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Sean Patrick Thomas gets another great acting moment here with Polarity’s tearful relief at feeling healthy again.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
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Paula Soria, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Erika's speech at the event was a tearful tribute to her late husband and his political mission, though her introduction for JD went viral on social media for a different reason.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
In the Odyssey, Homer depicts Helen and Menelaus’s reunion as uneasy and sometimes tearful, after years of estrangement.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Sean Patrick Thomas gets another great acting moment here with Polarity’s tearful relief at feeling healthy again.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Cite this Entry
“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tearful. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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