1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
a teary ending to what had been up to that point a lighthearted movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Van Der Beek’s teary response to being dumped by Katie Holmes’ Joey character became a meme that endured long past the show’s end.
—
Emily Longeretta, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for teary
Emily Longeretta, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for teary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teary
Adjective
-
One of the saddest bits of it, actually!—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Sister Jean would pass away at age 106 this past October, a sad metaphor for the fate of Cinderella.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 23,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Department of Homeland Security employees at one agency were eager, even tearful, about the future.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Teyana Taylor looked tearful as Anderson accepted the award for his 10th film alongside fellow producer Sara Murphy (and in memory of the late Adam Somner).—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
All airports are depressing and scary; some go above and beyond.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
And people in Silicon Valley are after efficiency, which lacks humanity and can be horribly depressing.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Around this time Denise and Aaron filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Vallejo claiming defamation and emotional distress.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
An opportunity to rebuild your emotional foundation arrives as Saturn teams up with Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The politicians who shut down the government are pathetic on both sides of the aisle.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
His Floyd constantly straddles the line between sweet and pathetic, often falling off one side or the other.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But his crying scene in Ford v Ferrari is one for the ages.—
Michael Granberry,
Dallas News,
17 Jan. 2020
Adjective
-
But the war ended, and the smog didn’t, and L.A. wiped its weepy red eyes and demanded some solutions, dammit.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
For years, the Oscars’ in memoriam segment has been scored with weepy music and sentimental ballads.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Teary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/teary. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
