tearful

[ teer-fuhl ]

adjective

1. full of tears; tear; weeping.
2. causing tears: tear:

   the tearful story of his poverty.

tearful

/ ˈtɪəfʊl /

adjective

1. about to cry
2. accompanying or indicative of weeping

   a tearful expression

3. tending to produce tears; sad

Derived Forms

• ˈtearfully, adverb
• ˈtearfulness, noun

Other Words From

• tearful·ly adverb
• tearful·ness noun
• half-tearful adjective
• half-tearful·ly adverb
• half-tearful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tearful¹

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

Example Sentences

Harris campaign officials were silent in the early Wednesday hours while some aides expressed tearful shock over what was expected to be a much closer race.

From BBC

She gave a tearful speech days after the raid, saying: “I want to be crystal clear. I have done nothing wrong. I can tell you with confidence that this investigation is not about me.”

From Los Angeles Times

“In 1989, I believe I lost three brothers,” said a tearful Hecht, who still can’t believe that a schoolmate of hers has been in prison for decades.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement to the inquiry before her evidence, Ms Farmer said some of the questions by that review had left nurses "upset and tearful".

From BBC

“For a long time I did not even want to believe that it happened,” a tearful Abi says in “R. Kelly’s Karma: A Daughter’s Journey,” now streaming on TVEI.

From Los Angeles Times