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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His father, who has also served significant time in prison, explained the emotional weight of watching his son endure a similar experience.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Controversy over wolf management can become more emotional and political than scientific.—
Olivia Ferrari,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Apr. 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
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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
-
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
-
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
-
Bieber himself made reference to the pressures on young performers in a teary interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe in 2020.—
Shirley Halperin,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2025
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And then probably a Sunday that ends among familiar shadows splayed across fairways, a long walk up Augusta’s 18th, a hat brim pushed up off his forehead, a final putt, a final roar, a teary embrace with his family, and then a 44 Long in green.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The band played somber hymns marking Good Friday, a mournful day during Holy Week.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 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 6 May. 2025.
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