Tear-streaked

Describing a surface, typically a face, that is marked with trails of dried or fresh tears, indicating recent or ongoing crying. It suggests a display of strong emotion, such as grief, sadness, or intense relief. The streaks are usually visible as smudges or lines left by the flow of tears. This adjective paints a visual image of vulnerability and the aftermath of emotional release, conveying a sense of rawness or exposure. It evokes empathy and can be used to describe people or inanimate objects that are metaphorically touched by strong emotion.

Tear-streaked meaning with examples

• Her tear-streaked face revealed the depth of her sorrow as she received the news. The rivulets of tears had left a map of pain across her cheeks. She was unable to speak or process the reality, her tear-streaked face told her emotions more than any words ever could.
• The children, after the movie ended, all had tear-streaked faces as the main character of the film was no longer with them. They sobbed for minutes, before their parents hugged them. The emotion they showed was so deep and touching
• He wiped his tear-streaked eyes, struggling to find the words to express his gratitude. His face showed all he needed to say with the visible lines of the dried tears, of joy and peace.
• The old photograph showed a young woman with a tear-streaked face, gazing longingly at a departing soldier; they were married just a year earlier before he had to go to war.