tearjerking

• tear-jerking

tear +‎ jerking

tearjerking (comparative more tearjerking, superlative most tearjerking)

1. (informal) Emotionally charged so as to induce sorrow.
   • 1995 March 17, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Don Druker, Pat Graham, Dave Kehr, Peter Keough, Henry Sheehan, “Movies”, in Chicago Reader‎:

     Robert Zemeckis, a director previously known more for brittle, antihumanistic comedy (Used Cars, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Death Becomes Her) than heartwarming sentiment, moves into Oscar territory with an accomplished tearjerking comedy (1994) about a slow-witted southerner (Tom Hanks in the title role) living through an alternately auspicious and absurdist half-century of American history.

• tearjerker