Word Adjective
teary
adj.
B1 Intermediate US /ˈtɪɹi/ UK /tˈiəɹi/ teary
Definition
adj.having or showing tears. You use this to describe someone who is crying or something that makes you feel very emotional.
adj.characterised by or showing tears; causing or resulting in emotional distress. Often used to describe a person's eyes or a situation that evokes strong feelings.
Examples
“She had a teary goodbye with her friends.”
“The old man gave a teary speech at the funeral, struggling to hold back his emotions.”
“The documentary was so moving that the audience left the theater with teary eyes, deeply affected by the stories of the families affected by the conflict.”
Etymology
From Middle English tery; equivalent to tear + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Origin Middle English tery
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated