He looked close to tears, his voice a little thick.

Her eyes finally met mine and she seemed close to tears.

For some reason he felt close to tears and had to turn away from her.

"Yes," he said to her, hearing something very close to tears in his voice.

He seemed close to tears and was fighting them back.

The anger in his voice when he said it brought something very close to tears to my eyes.

She was a poor witness, close to tears much of the time.

Some are crying, others look close to tears, and no one is talking.

She closed her eyes, feeling suddenly close to tears herself.

I have seen people close to tears as they own up to being over 50.