Meaning

(transitive) To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
2. (transitive) To injure as if by pulling apart.
3. (transitive) To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
4. (transitive) To make (an opening) with force or energy.
5. (transitive, often with off or out) To remove by tearing, or with sudden great force.
6. (transitive, of structures, with down) To demolish.
7. (intransitive) To become torn, especially accidentally.
8. (intransitive) To move or act with great speed, energy, or violence.

Example Sentences

He tore his coat on the nail.

Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand. We spent consider'ble money getting 'em reset, and then a swordfish got into the pound and tore the nets all to slathers, right in the middle of the squiteague season. He suffered, poor man, at seeing her so badly dressed, with laceless boots, and the arm-holes of her pinafore torn down to the hips; for the charwoman took no care of her.

He tore some muscles in a weight-lifting accident.

He was torn by conflicting emotions.

A piece of debris tore a tiny straight channel through the satellite.

His boss will tear him a new one when he finds out.

The artillery tore a gap in the line.

Tear the coupon out of the newspaper.

Word Forms

• tears
• tearing
• tore
• torn
• teared

Synonyms for tear

Related Words

When Should You Use Tear?

Use tear when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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