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Showing results for tears. Search instead for tzars.
Synonyms

tears

British  
/ tɪəz /

plural noun

  1. the clear salty solution secreted by the lacrimal glands that lubricates and cleanses the surface of the eyeball and inner surface of the eyelids

  2. a state of intense frustration (esp in the phrase bored to tears )

  3. weeping

  4. presented so as to be easily assimilated

    reading without tears
"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
tears Idioms  

  1. see bore to death (tears); burst into (tears); crocodile tears. Also see under tear.

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.

People regularly asked what was wrong with me, if I was sick or sad or close to tears.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Wiping tears from his eyes as he slowly made his way through the intergenerational crowd, he recognized almost everyone in attendance — if not by name, then definitely by address.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Former Chelsea and Arsenal player Jorginho has issued a statement saying pop singer Chappell Roan was not involved in an incident in which a security guard reduced his daughter to tears.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

"I'm so emotional," said fan Cristina Medina, breaking down in tears.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Despite the hot, angry tears that blur my vision, the truth I’ve been avoiding for so long cuts deep, leaving a scar so I’ll never forget.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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.