teary
Americanadjective
-
characterized by, covered with, or secreting tears
-
given to weeping; tearful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of teary
First recorded in 1325–75, teary is from the Middle English word tery. See tear 1, -y 1
Explanation
When you're teary, your eyes fill with tears and you may even cry. Sad movies can make you teary, and so can chopping onions. If you're so sentimental that tragic stories and sentimental songs bring you to the edge of weeping, you can say they make you teary. You might say a teary farewell to your camp friends at the end of the summer or get teary at the thought of the dog you had when you were little. Pitiful, poignant, and sad things can all make you teary.
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.
“Bullets & Blades,” a teary slow-dance number, is a duet with versatile R&B singer Kehlani.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
"I will go," he told AFP with teary eyes.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
When he had to explain the situation to his students, he says he was greeted with a lot of confusion and many teary eyes — as the community undergoes another unprecedented change.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
Tom Grennan, Sam Fender and Mumford & Sons topped the bill, while Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance and JADE, from Little Mix, got teary on stage.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2025
She’d been pretty teary this whole week while they were moving stuff into the new house.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
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.
