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Synonyms

teary-eyed

American  
[teer-ee-ahyd] / ˈtɪər iˌaɪd /

adjective

  1. with tears welling up in one's eyes.

    teary-eyed mourners.

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.

In one TV interview, a teary-eyed Tim said that “Sam was flying just the way he was supposed to.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Some visitors at Ueno Zoological Gardens were left teary-eyed as they watched Japan's only two pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao munch on bamboo.

From Barron's • Jan. 25, 2026

“He’s teary-eyed still as we walk out on the court for the tip ball,” Redick said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2025

The teary-eyed DJ responded: "Robbie, I love you to bits."

From BBC • Dec. 19, 2024

He turned his face to the side, appealing to Mom even though he was too teary-eyed to actually see her.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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.