teary

adjective

ˈtir-ē How to pronounce teary (audio)
Definition of tearynext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of teary Cullen would attend conventions around the country to meet with fans from multiple generations, often getting teary. — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026 Lizzo, 38, got the chance to meet Hill, 51, at the ceremony and spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the moment through teary eyes in a backstage interview. — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 From launching a secret OnlyFans account and becoming the teary bride at a gory wedding-gone-wrong to her eerie ending in that big, lonely, ugly mansion, Sweeney's character centered a large portion of the show's finale. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 1 June 2026 Lawmakers in the House and Senate plugged away with some final formal votes, in between lengthy and teary tributes to the members who are term-limited or otherwise not returning to the Capitol. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for teary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teary
  1. sad
  2. tearful
  3. depressing
  4. emotional
  5. pathetic
  6. crying
  7. weepy
  8. weeping
Adjective
  • Anyway, this Jive is unfortunately lacking in both energy and sharp footwork and is generally kind of sad, but Maura and Mark still manage to get 8s.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The company’s intention is probably to leverage nostalgia to build hype for Nintendo’s big launch, but there’s also something a little sad about this.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • DeGeneres posted a tearful video on Instagram Monday remembering Wright, who worked on her show from 2006 to its finale in 2022.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
  • With the passing of Walter Koenig at the age of 90 this past week, franchise luminaries of all degrees are coming out with heartfelt condolences, kind words of remembrance, and tearful reflections.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of tearful
Adjective
  • The Ruhr Valley, in contrast, might be Europe’s vastest, most depressing suburb.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The Mongolian restaurant is in the city center, dingy and depressing.
    — Aube Rey Lescure, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • The shift is tied to broader wellness behavior, with younger consumers folding emotional well-being into daily self-care.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But his wartime service comes at an emotional price as Stewart becomes tormented by the loss of many of the men under his command and must tackle the duty of writing condolence letters to their families.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of emotional
Adjective
  • In fact, the only previous cinematic encounter was the unfortunate 2003 live-action version with Mike Myers that flopped critically and at the box office, winning a pathetic 10 Razzie nominations as one of the worst pictures of that year.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Simply pathetic, but, MY LIONS stay close in the NFC North race and sets up what should be one of the biggest Thanksgiving Day games in Lions history when the Bears come to town on November 26.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • Some in the pro-crying camp pointed to articles and headlines as proof.
    — Jon Sarlin, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of crying
Adjective
  • Gaines assured weepy parents that those feelings are counterbalanced by watching your children thrive.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Except that’s precisely what awards shows are terrible at — those hammy yuk-yuk sketches, or weepy maudlin moments, that struggle to celebrate the industry by interlacing the show with a theatrical insert.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
Definition of weepy
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
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping

Browse Nearby Words

tears (out)
teary
teas
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Cite this Entry

“Teary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teary. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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