Definition

Marked or colored by tears, often indicating sadness or emotional distress.

Example

She looked at the tearstained letter and felt a wave of nostalgia.

Conversation

I found your old journal while cleaning up.

Oh really? What did you think of it?

Honestly, it was a bit sad to see all those tearstained pages.

Yeah, I went through a tough time back then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Tearstained → It is formed from "tear" (from Old English *tēar*, meaning a drop of clear salty liquid produced by the eye) and "stained" (from Old English *stǣnan*, meaning to make dirty or to color). The word "tearstained" describes something that has been marked or discolored by tears.

Memory Tip

Think of drops of liquid ('tear') that have 'colored' or 'marked' something ('stained') — that's why tearstained means marked by tears.

Visually Confused Words