tearful

American  

[teer-fuhl] / ˈtɪər fəl /

adjective

1. full of tears; tear; weeping.

2. causing tears: tear.

   the tearful story of his poverty.

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tearful British  

/ ˈtɪəfʊl /

adjective

1. about to cry

2. accompanying or indicative of weeping

   a tearful expression

3. tending to produce tears; sad

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Other Word Forms

• half-tearful adjective
• half-tearfully adverb
• half-tearfulness noun
• tearfully adverb
• tearfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of tearful

First recorded in 1580–90; tear ¹ + -ful

Example Sentences

They went ahead with the event, but opened with tearful remarks about losing one of their own and a moment of silence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

The demonstrations in L.A. were often tearful affairs, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

"We keep hearing missiles over our heads. I’m terrified," the artist posted in a tearful video on Instagram Saturday.

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

Frightened people jostled their way on, leaving tearful goodbyes on the platform with those staying to fight.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

There are interviews with the kid’s tearful parents, firefighters, rescue workers, and experts on wells—because there are experts on everything these days.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman