teary

/ˈtɪəri/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɪri] /ˈtɪri/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈɪri] /ˈtir-ē How to pronounce teary (audio)/ (ame, mw)

teary — adjective

  • tearypositive
  • teariercomparative
  • teariestsuperlative

1. having tears in your eyes, or seeming close to crying because of strong feeling.

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having tears in your eyes, or seeming close to crying because of strong feeling.

例句

Nora looked teary after reading the letter from her brother overseas.

linking verb: look teary

Caleb grew teary when the choir started singing at graduation.

inchoative pattern: grow teary

同義詞
  • tearful

    slightly broader and often suggests more visible crying, not just eyes filling with tears

  • weepy

    more informal and often suggests crying easily or repeatedly

  • emotional

    broader and may describe strong feeling even when no tears appear

反義詞
  • dry-eyed

    emphasizes that no tears are visible

  • composed

    suggests calm self-control instead of visible emotion

文法句型

look/feel/grow teary

teary + eyes/voice/smile

用法筆記

Often follows look, sound, feel, or grow when a person is nearly crying. Distinguish from sense 2, which usually describes a film, song, scene, or goodbye that brings tears.

常見錯誤

❌I was a teary after the speech.
✅I was teary after the speech.
💡'Teary' is an adjective here, so do not use the article 'a'.
❌The crowd was teary scene.
✅The crowd was teary, and the scene was teary too.
💡Use sense 1 for people who are close to crying, and sense 2 for the sad event itself.

2. sad in a way that fills people with tears or makes them feel like crying.

2.形容詞B2
釋義

sad in a way that fills people with tears or makes them feel like crying.

例句

The film's teary ending left half the cinema wiping their eyes.

collocation: teary ending

A teary goodbye at the airport made even the staff go quiet.

event noun: teary goodbye

同義詞
  • moving

    broader and can describe any deeply affecting scene, not only one linked with tears

  • heartbreaking

    stronger and more painful in tone than teary

  • sad

    much broader and less focused on the emotional reaction of tears

反義詞
  • uplifting

    suggests a positive emotional effect rather than sadness

  • cheerful

    describes a bright and happy mood rather than a sorrowful one

文法句型

teary + ending/goodbye/song/scene

用法筆記

Usually placed before nouns for emotional scenes, songs, endings, or farewells. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes the person whose eyes are full of tears.

常見錯誤

❌The film was crying at the end.
✅The film had a teary ending.
💡Use 'teary' for a sad scene or ending that makes people want to cry.
❌She was a teary goodbye.
✅She gave a teary goodbye.
💡Use sense 2 for the event or moment, not for the person.