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• tear gas
  tear gas

  noun

  a gas that makes the eyes smart and water, thus producing a temporary blindness, used in modern warfare, to quell riots, etc.
• tear-gas
  tear-gas

  verb (used with object)

  to subject to tear gas.

tear gas

¹ American  

[teer] / tɪər /

noun

1. a gas that makes the eyes smart and water, thus producing a temporary blindness, used in modern warfare, to quell riots, etc.

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tear-gas ² American  

[teer-gas] / ˈtɪərˌgæs /

verb (used with object)

tear-gassed, tear-gassing

1. to subject to tear gas.

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tear gas British  

/ tɪə /

noun

1. Also called: lacrimator.  any one of a number of gases or vapours that make the eyes smart and water, causing temporary blindness; usually dispersed from grenades and used in warfare and to control riots

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Etymology

Origin of tear gas¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Origin of tear-gas²

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The launch of limited edition Swatch watches descended into chaos Saturday in several European cities and New York, with French police firing tear gas to restore order at one store near Paris.

From Barron's • May 16, 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

SRG doesn’t use tear gas or shoot “pepper balls” or rubber bullets as seen in other cities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

It added that the claim that tear gas was deliberately fired into the hospital "does not correspond to the facts".

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

None of the soldiers have dust bombs or tear gas.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• poison gas