1
as in emotional
given to expressing strong emotion (as sorrow) by readily shedding tears
a tearful woman who can be counted on to cry at every wedding, anniversary, and funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
causing unhappiness
the tearful end to what had once been a close friendship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tearful
On many nights, Tamara would find her grandmother hunched over the kitchen table, poring over trial transcripts in which Erik and Lyle delivered hours of tearful and stomach-churning accounts of beatings, verbal lashings and rape.
—
Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
After a tearful embrace with Billie, Alex decides to sacrifice herself.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Combs addressed the packed courtroom nearly five hours into a lengthy proceeding that featured impassioned legal arguments and tearful pleas for leniency from six of the hip-hop mogul’s children.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2025
In her tearful video, Moore questioned the competing narratives being used by the president and his supporters.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
After a tearful embrace with Billie, Alex decides to sacrifice herself.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Combs addressed the packed courtroom nearly five hours into a lengthy proceeding that featured impassioned legal arguments and tearful pleas for leniency from six of the hip-hop mogul’s children.
—Adam Reiss, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2025
In her tearful video, Moore questioned the competing narratives being used by the president and his supporters.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearful
Adjective
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Some do not have the emotional wherewithal to to observe that others have needs as well.—
Joni Eareckson Tada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Players, coaches, executives and ownership groups have come and gone, but the team remains despite a lengthy and emotional relocation saga that nearly resulted in a move to Seattle.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As Morgan and Sasha chat it up at Noah’s family’s Purim party, a sad-eyed Esther stands off to the side, quietly watching the interaction.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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The footage shows Deiseroth’s demeanor teetering between sad and angry.—
David Goodhue
October 24,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Soon, the entire room was awash with clippings, each detailing a different duplicitous scheme — a depressing reflection of how scam culture was taking over my country, eroding our trust in each other.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Welcome to the most depressing engagement party of the century.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Adjective
-
Enter Claude Whelan, played by James Callis, a fine actor with a face that can contort itself into about a dozen different versions of misery and pathetic dismay.—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ratcheting up the pressure on the pathetic Putin will be the only way this war ends.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Hadid's marital bliss proved to be emotional for Gigi, who could be spotted dabbing her teary eyes in one photo from the ceremony.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Sabandal was surprised at first and initially attributed the confusion to her use of the teary eye emoji.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The zebras pranced, all frisky energy; the elephants, lumbering and mournful, trailed behind with their ancient thoughts.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Oct. 2025
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Kogonada’s mournful sci-fi drama takes place in a world where people can buy robot children and follows all the sorrow that comes with the arrangement.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearful. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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