teargas
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈtɪrˌɡæs/
KK: /ˈtɪrˌɡæs/
noun
Definition
A chemical substance that causes irritation to the eyes and respiratory system, often used for crowd control or self-defense.
Example
The police used teargas to disperse the protesters during the demonstration.
Conversation
Did you hear about the protest downtown yesterday?
Yeah, I saw on the news that they used teargas to disperse the crowd.
That's so intense; I can't believe they resorted to teargas.
I know! It really escalated quickly, didn’t it?
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
smoke
fume
gas
Antonyms
calm
peace
tranquility
verb
Definition
To use a chemical substance that causes temporary blindness and difficulty breathing, often used by police to control crowds.
Example
The police decided to teargas the protesters to disperse the crowd.
Tense Forms
Past: teargassed
Past Participle: teargassed
Conversation
Did you hear about the protest downtown yesterday?
Yeah, I heard they had to teargas the crowd to control it.
That's really intense; I can't believe it got that out of hand.
Root Explanation
Teargas is a compound word formed from "tear" (from Old English *tear*, meaning a drop of clear salty liquid produced by glands in the eyes) and "gas" (from Latin *gas*, meaning a state of matter that expands to fill its container). The word refers to a gas that causes tears when it comes into contact with the eyes.
Memory Tip
Think of 'tears' that come from your eyes when something irritates them, combined with 'gas' that fills a space — that's why teargas is a gas that makes you cry.
Visually Confused Words
teras
argas
aftergas