Standard Lemma guide

tearfully

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: T IH1 R F AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a tearful manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

with tears; in a tearful manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the man confessed tearfully to having beaten his wife

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English tearful Middle English -ly English -ly English tearfully From tearful + -ly.