tearjerker

[ teer-jur-ker ]
/ ˈtɪərˌdʒɜr kər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR tearjerker ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Informal.

a pathetic story, play, movie, or the like; an excessively sentimental tale.

Origin of tearjerker

First recorded in 1930–35; tear1 + jerk1 + -er1

OTHER WORDS FROM tearjerker

tear·jerk·ing, adjective

Words nearby tearjerker

tearaway, teardown, teardrop, tearful, tearing, tearjerker, tearless, tearoom, tears, tearstain, teary

Words related to tear-jerker

longing, sentimentality, remorse, yearning, wistfulness, play, theater, farce, show, scene, production, comedy, tragedy, melodrama, homesickness, reminiscence, schmaltz, pining, story, novel

British Dictionary definitions for tear-jerker

tear-jerker
/ (ˈtɪəˌdʒɜːkə) /

noun

informal an excessively sentimental film, play, book, etc