tear gas

1 of 2

noun

: 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

tear-gas

2 of 2

verb

ˈtir-ˌgas 

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

transitive verb

: 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

Examples of tear gas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Thousands of people marched through central Brussels in a protest that was largely peaceful, although some scuffles broke out with police, who used tear gas and water cannons in some instances. — Makini Brice, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026

Riot police responded with tear gas, water cannons and baton charges, pushing the protesters from area. — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

In one video shared on social media, a teenager was shot in the face with a tear-gas grenade at almost point-blank range by a policeman. — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

In one such report, a single tear-gas cannister kicked back was recorded as forty-four assaults. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tear gas

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass

Kids 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

Medical Definition

tear gas

noun

: a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that on dispersion in the atmosphere irritates mucous membranes resulting especially in blinding of the eyes with tears