Definition

Adjective: - Having eyes that are wet with tears; appearing as if one is about to cry or has been crying. Describes a state where tears are visibly present in the eyes, often due to strong emotion such as sadness, happiness, or sentimentality.

Usage

The adjective "teary-eyed" is used to describe a person's appearance when their eyes are glistening or filled with tears. It typically precedes a noun or follows a linking verb like "was," "felt," or "looked." It is a descriptive term focusing on the physical evidence of emotion.

Examples

• She gave a teary-eyed farewell speech to her colleagues.
• The movie's happy ending left the audience feeling teary-eyed.
• He was teary-eyed as he listened to the nostalgic song.
• The teary-eyed child looked for his mother in the crowd.

Advanced Usage

• "teary-eyed with [emotion]": Used to specify the cause of the tears.
  • She was teary-eyed with gratitude when they surprised her.
• "get/become teary-eyed": Describes the process of starting to tear up.
  • I always become teary-eyed during that scene.

Variants and Related Words

• Teary (adj): Similar to "teary-eyed," meaning inclined to cry or with tears in the eyes. It can be slightly less specific about the eyes themselves.
  • She felt teary all morning.
• Tearful (adj): More strongly implies weeping or crying, not just the presence of tears in the eyes.
  • She was tearful throughout the entire ceremony.
• Misty-eyed (adj): Very similar to "teary-eyed," often suggesting tears are just beginning to form, making vision slightly blurred.
  • The old photos made him misty-eyed.

Synonyms

• Misty-eyed: Having eyes blurred by tears.
• Watery-eyed: Having eyes that are producing or filled with water/tears.
• Verging on tears: Very close to crying.

Antonyms

• Dry-eyed: Not crying or showing any tears.
• Stoic: Enduring pain or hardship without showing feelings or complaining.
• Unemotional: Not showing strong feelings.

Adjective

1. with eyes full of tears