: a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that on dispersion in the atmosphere irritates mucous membranes resulting especially in blinding of the eyes with tears and that is used chiefly (as by the police and the military) to disperse large crowds of people
variants
or tear gas
or less commonly teargas
tear-gassed or tear gassed also teargassed; tear-gassing or tear gassing also teargassing; tear-gases or tear gasses also teargasses
: to use tear gas on
The troops then tear-gassed the crowd of several hundred, mostly teenagers and young men, which scattered in great confusion, but re-formed later.—
Roger Daniels
Roger DanielsExamples of tear gas in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebAstrid Galván, Axios, 18 Aug. 2024
More than 70 armed settlers invaded the town of Jit on Thursday, firing live bullets and tear gas at residents and setting several homes, cars and other property on fire, according to the head of Jit’s village council, Nasser Sedda.
—Kareem Khadder, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
CBS News, 9 Aug. 2024
The Kenya Human Rights Commission announced 39 people were killed and hundreds injured or tear-gassed, including former U.S. president Barack Obama’s sister, Dr. Auma Obama.
—Kui Mwai, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear gas 
Noun
Through the lens: Security forces fired tear gas on protesters in the capital Caracas as Venezuelans in several cities protested the government as opposition leaders continue to say the election was rigged.
—Astrid Galván, Axios, 18 Aug. 2024
More than 70 armed settlers invaded the town of Jit on Thursday, firing live bullets and tear gas at residents and setting several homes, cars and other property on fire, according to the head of Jit’s village council, Nasser Sedda.
—Kareem Khadder, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
Verb
Months of fierce protest, at which demonstrators were tear-gassed, soon thrust the city into the national spotlight.
—CBS News, 9 Aug. 2024
The Kenya Human Rights Commission announced 39 people were killed and hundreds injured or tear-gassed, including former U.S. president Barack Obama’s sister, Dr. Auma Obama.
—Kui Mwai, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear gas
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tear gas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tear gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20gas. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
teargas
1 of 2 verb
tear·gas
ˈti(ə)r-ˌgas 
: to use tear gas on
tear gas
2 of 2 noun
: any of various substances that cause eye irritation and blind the eyes with tears when released into the air and that are used mostly to scatter mobs
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