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 (Angela Bassett), Bobby gets down on his knees and prays before collapsing onto the table.
—
Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
His gamble has since paid off with regular radio play, loud sing-alongs at shows and tearful fans at meet-and-greets who share how the song has touched them.
—Nancy Kruh, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Megan was tearful for a second and seemed to gather herself for a few moments onstage.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2025
Isabelle McCalla gives an endearing, heartfelt and sometimes tearful performance as Elinor, who sings poignantly about her desire to be more useful in society than just a child-bearing ornament.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025
His gamble has since paid off with regular radio play, loud sing-alongs at shows and tearful fans at meet-and-greets who share how the song has touched them.
—Nancy Kruh, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Megan was tearful for a second and seemed to gather herself for a few moments onstage.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2025
Isabelle McCalla gives an endearing, heartfelt and sometimes tearful performance as Elinor, who sings poignantly about her desire to be more useful in society than just a child-bearing ornament.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tearful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearful
Adjective
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In a speech that lasted nearly five minutes, an emotional Gaga moved the crowd.—
Billboard Brasil,
Billboard,
5 May 2025
-
The visual adjustment seems intended to establish Rose’s emotional distance from her family.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 May 2025
Adjective
-
Her story is beautiful and sad, heartwarming and devastating.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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If my random and unscientific survey of some French opinion at all represents the nation’s as a whole, then the debut of Donald Trump’s America has left some French triste — a bit sad, even brokenhearted, and also wary and vigilant.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 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
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They are already relegated to the Championship with five games to play and could break club records after a desperately depressing campaign.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Editor’s picks An hour of episodic television is usually breech-birthed in a depressing Hollywood conference room filled with dyspeptic writers arguing over lines as the space fills up with the smell of fear, body odor, and Asian fusion takeout.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Kenney-Silver delivers a touchingly nuanced performance as Anne, balanced on the fine line between sad as in devastated and sad as in pathetic.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2025
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Marathon needs to be given every possible chance to succeed and making Bungie crunch to fix things and throwing it into the wolves as a fall release (one that’s literally on the same day as Borderlands 4, mind you) would be a pathetic excuse for support.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Flores, upon learning of the reports, grew visibly teary, but remained in the game because the deal was pending the standard medical review.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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For her part, Park got teary eyed thanking Goreski for his heart, humor and spirit and for helping lift her up in the wake of a critical sepsis illness.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That consistency was perhaps why, despite the Warriors’ stunning Game 1 win, the tone of their postgame interviews was at times mournful rather than celebratory.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
7 May 2025
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One aspect is the story that is told, which is a very mournful story of a mother losing a child and then abandoning herself to the river as the child was.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro’s weepy cloning love-triangle story turned out to be apt source material for his friend Garland to adapt.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
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There’s nothing like hearing a unified gasp at a horror movie or seeing others wiping their eyes after a weepy drama.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tearful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearful. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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