tearjerker

[ teer-jur-ker ]

/ ˈtɪərˌdʒɜr kər /

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See synonyms for: tearjerker / tearjerking on Thesaurus.com

noun

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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Origin of tearjerker

First recorded in 1930–35; tear¹ + jerk¹ + -er¹

OTHER WORDS FROM tearjerker

tear·jerk·ing, adjective

Words nearby tearjerker

tearful, tear gas, tearing, tear into, tear it, tearjerker, tearless, tear-off, tear one's hair, tearoom, tea rose

How to use tearjerker in a sentence

Dog—which was written by Carolin and Brett Rodriguez—is largely a comedy, and only partly a tearjerker.
Channing Tatum Will Make You Believe in Dog|Stephanie Zacharek|February 17, 2022|Time
As Bichir put it, his tearjerker role is just the sort that actors “die” for.
Demian Bichir Nominated for Best Actor Oscar – Who Is He?|Melissa Leon, Anna Klassen|January 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It was the ultimate tearjerker: a mother pointing a finger at her daughter, who faces death for killing her granddaughter.
Casey's Mother's Anguish|Diane Dimond|June 1, 2011|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for tearjerker

tear-jerker

/ (ˈtɪəˌdʒɜːkə) /

noun

informal an excessively sentimental film, play, book, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012