tearing
/ˈtɛɹɪŋ/
nounadjective
Common
1.n.shedding tears
2.adj.marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid
“fierce loyalty”
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tearing and teasing differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. tearing means “shedding tears”. teasing means “the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances”. tearing is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈtɛɹɪŋ/
1.n.shedding tears
2.adj.marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid
“fierce loyalty”
/ˈtizɪŋ/
| tearing | teasing | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈtɛɹɪŋ/ | /ˈtizɪŋ/ |
| Said | TER-ing | TEE-zing |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective | noun, adjective |
| Senses | 2 | 6 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | lacrimation, lachrymation, watering | tease, ribbing, tantalization |
Full entry for tearing · Full entry for teasing · More comparisons
1.n.the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances
“he ignored their teases”
2.n.playful vexation
“the parody was just a form of teasing”
3.n.the act of removing tangles from you hair with a comb