1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
a teary ending to what had been up to that point a lighthearted movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tearful
given to expressing strong emotion (as sorrow) by readily shedding tears
he's one of those teary drunks who sees fit to bore the other bar patrons with his sad stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teary
Now imagine the same with some of those teary eyes angled down toward glowing screens, while others frame the bride with their phones.
—
Nikita Khanna, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
That memory from age 13 makes Sawitz, now 68 and father to a 12-year-old daughter, teary.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Paul Thomas Anderson was teary eyed about De Luca after wining Best Director for One Battle After Another.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
The teary eyes were contagious.
—Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for teary
Nikita Khanna, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
That memory from age 13 makes Sawitz, now 68 and father to a 12-year-old daughter, teary.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Paul Thomas Anderson was teary eyed about De Luca after wining Best Director for One Battle After Another.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
The teary eyes were contagious.
—Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for teary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teary
Adjective
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In a weirdly serendipitous bit of cinema news, Billie Eilish—queen of melancholy pop—is turning her sad eyes to Sylvia Plath.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Resident reactions Some residents are sad to see the cemetery go.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Brooke Hogan has crafted a tearful tribute to her father Hulk Hogan, who died July 24, 2025 at the age of 71.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
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Season 48 winner Kyle Fraser, 31, critically hurt his Achilles' tendon in the first immunity challenge, resulting in doctors pulling him from the game while his tearful tribe looked on.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The aggression with which both parties have worked to manipulate district lines—while loudly inveighing against the other party for doing the exact same thing—is cynical and depressing.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
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The case exposed the depressing banality of it all—the man smiling politely at you at the bakery, only to rape your comatose body at night.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Adolescence — roughly ages 10 to 19, according to the World Health Organization — is the critical window for developing confidence, a stable sense of identity and emotional regulation.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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Google’s latest lawsuit pushes the company to do more, such as warning users about the risks of having long emotional conversations with its chatbot.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Of course, the notes turn out to mostly be about her as well as the principal (played by Gosling), detailing their most pathetic behaviors.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Mar. 2026
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The pathetic leaks didn’t work.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
2 Mar. 2026
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
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Alongside more standard dramatic fare like Chloé Zhao’s weepy Shakespeare film Hamnet and the quietly powerful adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella Train Dreams, the list also includes Paul Thomas Anderson’s gripping political thriller One Battle After Another.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
2 Mar. 2026
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Feel free to let the cry out—and proudly love on your weepy nature.—
Carolyn L. Todd,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
Cite this Entry
“Teary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teary. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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