tearjerker

American  

[teer-jur-ker] / ˈtɪərˌdʒɜr kər /

noun

1. a story, play, movie, or the like that is sentimental or sad enough to evoke pangs of emotion to the point of tears.

   This new version of a classic tearjerker is touted as the must-see film of the holiday season, but it lacks the genuine warmth of the original.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tearjerking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tearjerker

First recorded in 1930–35; tear ¹ + jerk ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A heartwarming movie about the cat and dog who become best friends, are tragically separated, and then reunite years later — much to the joy and relief of a misty-eyed audience — would easily be classified as a tearjerker. A tearjerker is an emotionally powerful story that often brings the audience to tears. It typically explores deep themes like love, loss, and victory, resonating strongly with viewers or readers. By featuring characters who face significant challenges or life-altering events, these narratives allow the audience to empathize with the characters’ struggles and triumphs. Engaging with a tearjerker can be a positive emotional journey, causing reflection on personal experiences and feelings.

Example Sentences

Written and recorded over three weeks in late 2023, Who Believes In Angels? has received rave reviews from critics, who have called it "a gutsy, flamboyant tearjerker" and a "late-career high".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025

She has no children or partner, but this is not some clichéd tearjerker in which our protagonist must fill the hole in herself with a baby or a lover.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2025

So perhaps it's inevitable that when, after years of searching for the right project for her directorial debut, she gravitated to novelist Renee Carlino's wry tearjerker, "Wish You Were Here."

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2025

For too long the story was treated as a narrative template, giving rise to less skilled imitators, self-conscious correctives and even the occasional Oscar-winning abomination, like Taika Waititi’s Hitler-satirizing, audience-infantilizing tearjerker “Jojo Rabbit.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2023

In the series, Mazin and Druckmann create a romantic backstory for the two characters, creating one of the series’ most talked about tearjerker episodes.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 28, 2023