tear-stained
Americanadjective
-
marked or wet with tears.
a tear-stained letter.
-
showing traces of tears or signs of having wept.
tear-stained cheeks.
Etymology
Origin of tear-stained
First recorded in 1585–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His face was tear-stained and his eyes swollen in the postrace news conference, but O’Ward was stoic.
From Seattle Times • May 27, 2024
Watkins bowed her head on the table to hide her own tear-stained cheeks.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2024
It's notable that, when men do discuss those bonds, it's almost always too late: Diddy's I'll Be Missing You is a tear-stained tribute to the rapper Notorious B.I.G.;
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2023
The scientists’ tear-stained cheeks lit up with reflected light, and the crowd erupted.
From Science Magazine • Sep. 27, 2022
He felt a small hand on his knee and opened his eyes to Hannah’s own tear-stained face looking up at him.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
