as in to tear
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
over the years the historic flag had become badly ribboned by the wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ribbon
ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
Buried within the stone was a tooth-bearing ribbon called a radula, a feature shared by all mollusks such as nautiluses and octopuses.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2022
As the road began to ribbon up and around the southern slope of the mountain, everything subtly shifted.
—Maria Shollenbarger, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2022
See All Example Sentences for ribbon
Noun
The torsion balance and ribbon would twist when the outer masses attracted the inner ones, and physicists measured Big G by tracking the cylinder’s rotation and the resulting gravitational torque.
—ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
Buried within the stone was a tooth-bearing ribbon called a radula, a feature shared by all mollusks such as nautiluses and octopuses.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
To make way for the new highways that ribbon through Cairo, leading to the new city, builders razed vast patches of trees in the elegant old neighborhood of Heliopolis.
—Vivian Yee, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2022
As the road began to ribbon up and around the southern slope of the mountain, everything subtly shifted.
—Maria Shollenbarger, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2022
See All Example Sentences for ribbon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbon
Noun
-
Dashcam video shows the moment two shoplifting suspects were arrested in Fort Worth following a chase, in which an officer threw out spike strips to disable the vehicle.—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Some are cabbage-free, instead spotlighting crunchy carrot strips or broccoli stalks.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kancey, 25, tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston and missed most of last season.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
So when Khalil is killed and his family targeted exactly because of this work, Jimmy is torn by guilt and grief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mood was optimistic, described as a night-and-day shift from last year’s conference, right after MAGA had ripped through the Democratic coalition.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
One person in Atlanta has appeared in his videos as Batman villains, for free, dressed in homemade costumes that look like they were ripped straight from the television or movies.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ribbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbon. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
