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.
"The smell there is worse than the tear gas," Ishan said, laughing.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Police in Kenya have fired tear gas to break up a protest in the central town of Nanyuki against the construction of an Ebola quarantine centre for US citizens.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
After a day of largely peaceful demonstrations on Saturday, including a counter-protest in support of ICE, some protesters attempted to breach a police barricade, prompting police to use tear gas.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
Whether the substance was tear gas — which, incidentally, is a powder, not a gas — or pepper spray is unclear.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
He should ask Harrison about tear gas now, but instead he said, “Let me show you my new room in the Boys’ Quarters.”
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
At the Capitol, he said a tear-gas canister exploded near him, causing him to don his respirator, and soon, “I became part of the problem. I became part of the mob.”
From Washington Post ● Mar. 21, 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
I have never dropped bombs or tear-gassed anyone.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2026
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
Mayor Ted Wheeler sided with protesters, at one point standing alongside black-clad demonstrators as they were tear-gassed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2023
“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.
