First recorded in 1915–20
First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Police and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government have not commented on the use of sticks and tear gas against protesters.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
"We don't want tear gas and running battles in the streets. We are too old for that," one of the parents told journalists in Nairobi.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Police have used tear gas to block demonstrators from swarming government buildings in La Paz, where protest blockades have depleted food supplies and pushed prices up.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Collins said that after he was shot, agents began deploying tear gas, which further irritated his throat and eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
He needed Harrison to be in a good mood so he could ask him about tear gas.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“It’s a different thing to ask, ‘Will you show up to this protest, where police might come and tear-gas us?’ versus ‘We’re getting whistles. Do you think you could help us with some extra baggies?’
From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2026
In the confrontation that followed, one of the agents tossed a tear-gas canister, which an employee kicked under their vehicle, enveloping it with noxious fumes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
This prompted police to fire tear-gas cannisters to try and stop the procession, which affected traffic.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2024
News outlets around the world converged on Waco as the raid turned into a weeks-long standoff that ended on April 19, 1993, when federal agents launched a tear-gas attack to force out the Branch Davidians.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2023
The gun rack, set between two of the eight windows, held a Remington shotgun, a Colt AR-15 assault rifle, a tear-gas gun, and many rounds of ammunition.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Lindsey said on video, “They tear-gassed this area so I’m sneezing,” according to court records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
During the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Mr Lai would join the tear-gassed crowds and listen to protesters before returning to the newsroom to direct coverage.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2023
It was forwarding information about, you know, "If you are tear-gassed, don't use water, use milk."
From Salon ● May 7, 2022
“Just got tear-gassed, but we’re good, baby, we’re good! We’re pushing forward now!”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2021
Thackeray reminisced at length about being tear-gassed blind in the November 1969 antiwar protests in Washington Circle, covering them for her college paper.
From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Sterling, Bruce
“I actually think we could be promoting COVID-19 by tear-gassing protesters,” said Balmes.
From Scientific American ● Jun. 8, 2020
She oversaw punitive operations along the southern border that included the tear-gassing of hundreds of desperate would-be refugees near the San Ysidro border crossing.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2019
State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who represents Ferguson and live-tweeted her tear-gassing by police, is one of 10 Democrats outnumbered by 24 Republicans.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2014
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
