third-person singular verb
Someone or something pulls an object so hard that it separates or gets a hole in it.
/tʰɛɹz/Pronunciation by meaning or form
Thin paper tears easily when it is wet.
The old fabric tears if you pull it too hard.
American English
How to pronounce tears
verb · nounB1Common word
TʰEERZ
/tʰiɹz/
One syllable.
Form of tear
Tears can be a plural noun or the third-person singular form of the verb tear.
Someone or something pulls an object so hard that it separates or gets a hole in it.
What to listen for
Tears from the eyes rhyme with ears. Rips and pulling apart rhyme with airs.
Pronunciation by meaning or form/tʰiɹz/
Pronunciation by meaning or form/tʰɛɹz/
Meanings & examples
plural noun
Tears are drops of liquid that come from the eyes when someone cries or when the eyes are irritated.
/tʰiɹz/Pronunciation by meaning or form
She wiped away her tears with a tissue.
Her tears of joy made everyone smile.
plural noun
Tears are holes or splits in cloth, paper, or another thin material, caused by pulling or damage.
/tʰɛɹz/Pronunciation by meaning or form
There are tears in the curtains.
The tailor repaired the tears in my jeans.
verb
Fills with tears or produces tears.
/tʰiɹz/Pronunciation by meaning or form
Her left eye tears when the wind is strong.
Useful expressions
To start crying or get tears in your eyes.
I teared up at the end of the movie.
Crying because of strong emotion, sadness, or pain.
He was in tears after the argument.
To destroy something by pulling it into pieces.
The dog tore the toy apart.
Related words & forms
To mean “rip,” use tore and torn: I tore it; I have torn it. But tear up meaning “start crying” usually has teared up: I teared up.