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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tearful
After a tearful goodbye to his wife Athena (Bassett), Bobby got down on his knees and prayed before collapsing onto the table.
—
Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The tearful goodbye marked a major milestone for Sánchez Bezos and her family.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
If not Irish voices, please please please stop and listen to Jewish ones — from the high mindedness of Rabbi Sharon Brous, to the tearful comedy of the Grody-Patinkin family — who fear the damage to Judaism, as well as Israel’s neighbours.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
If not Irish voices, please please please stop and listen to Jewish ones – from the high mindedness of Rabbi Sharon Brous, to the tearful comedy of the Grody-Patinkin family – who fear the damage to Judaism, as well as Israel’s neighbours.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The tearful goodbye marked a major milestone for Sánchez Bezos and her family.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
If not Irish voices, please please please stop and listen to Jewish ones — from the high mindedness of Rabbi Sharon Brous, to the tearful comedy of the Grody-Patinkin family — who fear the damage to Judaism, as well as Israel’s neighbours.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
If not Irish voices, please please please stop and listen to Jewish ones – from the high mindedness of Rabbi Sharon Brous, to the tearful comedy of the Grody-Patinkin family – who fear the damage to Judaism, as well as Israel’s neighbours.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearful
Adjective
-
Student well-being is a major concern, with many children facing mental and emotional health challenges, as well as unstable living situations.—
Alan J. Borsuk,
jsonline.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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As the applause continued, Clooney kissed his wife Amal, who looked emotional in her seat just behind him.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This would be much less sad and much more fun.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Data breaches, such as the one that recently impacted Tea, are a sad fact of life.—
Justyn Newman,
PC Magazine,
26 Aug. 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
-
This is not to say that the Moomin books are depressing.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
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Constantly having to pivot in your career can be downright exhausting and depressing.—
Colleen Batchelder,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Adjective
-
Want the poop on this pathetic history?—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Maxwell comes off as both pathetic and loathsome.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The whole, which left me teary for much of the finale, is far more than the sum of its parts, which are generally entertaining and sometimes quite funny, though occasionally a bit forgettable.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
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Zach, meanwhile, gets teary over his current predicament.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Similarly, the discreetly mournful compositions of Giorgio Matteo and Aki Oliviero’s score hover politely on the periphery of the (in)action, careful not to intrude.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearful. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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