tearjerker

American  

[teer-jur-ker] / ˈtɪərˌdʒɜr kər /

noun

• tearjerkers
  plural

1. 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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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tearjerking
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tearjerkers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tearjerker

First recorded in 1930–35; tear ¹ + jerk ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A heartwarming movie about the cat and dog who become best friends, are tragically separated, and then reunite years later — much to the joy and relief of a misty-eyed audience — would easily be classified as a tearjerker. A tearjerker is an emotionally powerful story that often brings the audience to tears. It typically explores deep themes like love, loss, and victory, resonating strongly with viewers or readers. By featuring characters who face significant challenges or life-altering events, these narratives allow the audience to empathize with the characters’ struggles and triumphs. Engaging with a tearjerker can be a positive emotional journey, causing reflection on personal experiences and feelings.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tearjerker tearjerkers

“Heart of the Beast” represents a fairly small niche: It’s a tearjerker for tough guys.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Since its Cannes premiere, “Sentimental Value” has been lauded for such scenes, which underline the subtle force of this intelligent tearjerker about a frayed family trying to repair itself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2026

Written and recorded over three weeks in late 2023, Who Believes In Angels? has received rave reviews from critics, who have called it "a gutsy, flamboyant tearjerker" and a "late-career high".

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2025

In the series, Mazin and Druckmann create a romantic backstory for the two characters, creating one of the series’ most talked about tearjerker episodes.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 28, 2023

Quite the tearjerker, coming from some old Western writer.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2023

Death scenes meant to be tearjerkers seem hokey instead; the tension surrounding the prospect of love leading to death never feels genuine; and the jokes are terrible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Unlike Douglas Sirk’s beautifully photographed Technicolor melodramas of the 1950s, or the subgenre’s more narratively contemplative, weepy entries from the late ’70s, the new guard of romantic tearjerkers doesn’t have a pronounced stylistic draw.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026

Since then, I’ve never missed one of his movies, from raucous comedies like Backdraft to tearjerkers like Apollo 13.

From Slate ● Nov. 23, 2020

“Wonder” and “Wonderstruck” were easily confused, both being family-friendly tearjerkers, but no one was going to forget one of the best-selling, most satisfying movies of the year: “Wonder Woman.”

From Washington Post ● Mar. 1, 2018

In “Mostly Sondheim,” her critically acclaimed revue of songs by the composer, the singer interspersed his own compositions with numbers he admires - everything from Harold Arlen tearjerkers to the earthy, jazz-flecked “Hard-Hearted Hannah.”

From Washington Times ● Aug. 8, 2017