Cylindrical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) constant-ψ or nonconstant-ψ tearing modes that are linearly unstable with periodic axial boundary conditions are studied in a line-tied cylinder. Examples of these two respective classes of modes, with m=1 and m=2 (m being the azimuthal mode number), are studied. With a suitable MHD equilibrium, the former modes are marginally stable in ideal MHD for periodic axial boundary conditions, and occur as fast tearing modes (resistive kinks) in the presence of resistivity η. The latter modes are stable in ideal MHD for periodic axial boundary conditions, and with resistivity occur as constant-ψ tearing modes, unstable in a range of parameters. In both cases, the results for the line-tied modes show the expected tearing scaling with η for very long plasmas, but the scaling becomes γ∝η for smaller cylinder lengths L. These results are consistent with the following interpretation: For L→∞, the modes have a tearing width characteristic of tearing, leading to characteristic tearing mode growth. As L decreases, the modes develop a geometric width, which increases as L decreases; the γ∝η scaling occurs when L is small enough that the geometric width exceeds the tearing width.