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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of teary
Zach, meanwhile, gets teary over his current predicament.
—
Nick Caruso, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
All the conceits of a true-crime film are there – the lead detective interviews, shaky images from police-cams, the salacious headlines, the nauseating crime scene photos, the TV news reports, teary interviews with friends and family.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
What’s more, the brand assures those with sensitive eyes that the sunscreen won’t cause that burning, teary sensation some other formulas cause.
—Jenny Berg, Allure, 21 July 2025
This was once a special franchise, as the classy halftime jersey retirement ceremony for Parker reminded everyone, with Lisa Leslie introducing and Parker embracing and the standing crowd a little teary.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for teary
Nick Caruso, TVLine, 14 Aug. 2025
All the conceits of a true-crime film are there – the lead detective interviews, shaky images from police-cams, the salacious headlines, the nauseating crime scene photos, the TV news reports, teary interviews with friends and family.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
What’s more, the brand assures those with sensitive eyes that the sunscreen won’t cause that burning, teary sensation some other formulas cause.
—Jenny Berg, Allure, 21 July 2025
This was once a special franchise, as the classy halftime jersey retirement ceremony for Parker reminded everyone, with Lisa Leslie introducing and Parker embracing and the standing crowd a little teary.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for teary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for teary
Adjective
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But now, the King and the royal family have received very sad news that will change things going forward.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
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Shooting scenes in wide or medium shots that sometimes break into Hsiao-Lee’s harrowing point-of-view, cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin depicts a world without much color or hope, while sets by Huang Mei-Ching and Tu Shuo-Feng emphasize a sad and impoverished existence.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For all of its physical comedy and Christmas wish fulfillment, the real reason multiple generations developed a powerful bond to Home Alone is because of these tearful moments — and because of John’s sparkling, heartstring music.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
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After a tumultuous and tearful enemies-to-lovers journey, brilliant scholarship student Ruby Hall (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and troubled but sensitive rich kid James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) finally gave in to their emotions (and passion) in the season 1 finale.—
Kristen Baldwin September 2,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Compelling, sure, but more depressing than funny.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
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The news is depressing, and now the Tribune is ignoring what is, for those who are not sports fans, their leading form of entertainment.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is the Oscar-winning director's first-ever acting Emmy nomination, and his daughter Francesca shared his emotional reaction to being nominated.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Their emotional personal stories helped fuel the popularity of lotteries.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The end of that era came slowly, through the pathetic collapse of Syria and Lebanon as functioning states, and then quickly, when Israel began touching Hezbollah in unexpected places.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
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Want the poop on this pathetic history?—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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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That both of its leading men have suffered some great heartache is obvious from the first minutes of the premiere, directed by Jeremiah Zagar and set to Dan Deacon’s weepy score — even if the precise shape and scope of their losses will take some time to tease out.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
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There’s also a noticeable waft of influence from Nicholas Sparks that provides the weepier elements of this couple’s complications.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
19 Aug. 2025
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 10 Sep. 2025.
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