Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tearjerker

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.02 in modern English

Syllables: tear-jerk-er
IPA

21

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An emotionally charged film, novel, song, opera, television episode, etc., usually with one or more sad passages or ending.

Informal

Example Sentences

"Renamed in honor of the tube tearjerker, the work wondrously went on to become the most recognized theme in all of soapdom."
"The psychologist Paul Rozin lumps tearjerkers with other examples of benign masochism like smoking, riding on roller coasters, eating hot chili peppers, and sitting in saunas."
"The many tear-jerkers deal with finality, with death and the end of love, with a stoicism pregnant with feeling."

Etymology

From tear + jerker, so termed because it suggests one is likely to cry during its performance.

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

tearjerkers (plural) tear-jerker (alternative) tear jerker (alternative)

Frequently Paired Words

tearjerking nakige

Synonyms

cryfest sobfest

Questions

What does tearjerker mean?: An emotionally charged film, novel, song, opera, television episode, etc., usually with one or more sad passages or ending.
Where does tearjerker come from?: From tear + jerker, so termed because it suggests one is likely to cry during its performance.

How to pronounce tearjerker

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