ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tearful

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈtɪɹfəɫ// UK //tˈiəfəl// tear·ful

adj. feeling or showing strong sadness, often with tears. You use this to describe someone who is crying or a situation that makes you feel very emotional.

adj. characterised by or resulting in the shedding of tears; expressing or causing intense emotion, typically sadness.


SIMPLE

She gave a tearful goodbye to her friends.

CONTEXTUAL

The tearful reunion between the two brothers after years of silence was a moving moment for everyone at the party.

COMPLEX

The documentary's tearful portrayal of the family's struggle to rebuild their lives after the flood left many viewers in a state of quiet reflection.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From tear + -ful.

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