1
as in tears
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
the dog ripped the sleeve of my shirt by grabbing it with his teeth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in slits
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
you can see where someone ripped the painting with a penknife
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rushes
to proceed or move quickly
the car went ripping down the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grabs
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
rip a sheet off the pad of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perverts
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
something of a rip in his youth, he eventually settled down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rips
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … TICKING CLOCK — CNN host Michael Smerconish rips Democrats for hiding behind War Powers deadline.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Of course, Wallace already rips the ball away from dribblers more than anyone else.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Then a man comes in from behind and rips down their banner.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Spanning 180 acres between four of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods, Sunnyside Yard is a steel and asphalt scar that rips across Western Queens — serving those passing through, not those that call this borough home.
—Ben Guttmann, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Above this playful mess of a beat, which includes a music box-like instrument that sounds partially broken, Shabaka rips out brief and noisy phrases on tenor sax.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
It’s generally accepted that John rips Carolyn’s engagement ring off her finger in the park, and returns it when sitting on the curb.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Costarring Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning, the film rips open the emotional wounds that are often left by one's parents.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
Two easy ways to ensure the grass is mowed properly is, according to Cannon, to know the turf type and how much to mow and use a sharp mower blade to avoid tears or rips, which are basically open wounds on the plant.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
The luxury department store chain employs 1,500 people to provide tailoring and alternations, from hemming jeans and repairing rips to fitting suits and reworking evening gowns.
—Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Dave Grohl plays drums, and absolutely rips.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
The technology is also moving into textiles and wearables, where self-repairing fabrics can mend small rips or abrasions, extending product life and reducing waste.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Silky and quiet, the 10-denier nylon (100 percent recycled) proved durable enough to resist snags or rips over two years of heavy use in Colorado’s high peaks.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
After washing and drying the sheet set several times, there were no signs of loose seams, pilling rips, holes, or color fading.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026
Care and Repair Before cleaning or storing, fix rips and tears in winter coats, including linings.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
Anderson’s feat is overshadowed by Shaquille O’Neal, who rips down the backboard in the first quarter, delaying the game 45 minutes.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … TICKING CLOCK — CNN host Michael Smerconish rips Democrats for hiding behind War Powers deadline.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Of course, Wallace already rips the ball away from dribblers more than anyone else.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Then a man comes in from behind and rips down their banner.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Spanning 180 acres between four of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods, Sunnyside Yard is a steel and asphalt scar that rips across Western Queens — serving those passing through, not those that call this borough home.
—Ben Guttmann, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
Above this playful mess of a beat, which includes a music box-like instrument that sounds partially broken, Shabaka rips out brief and noisy phrases on tenor sax.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
It’s generally accepted that John rips Carolyn’s engagement ring off her finger in the park, and returns it when sitting on the curb.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Costarring Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning, the film rips open the emotional wounds that are often left by one's parents.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
There’s nothing worse than spending too much on a stylish bag only to find that the lining rips or the hardware breaks after just a few wears.
—Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
Two easy ways to ensure the grass is mowed properly is, according to Cannon, to know the turf type and how much to mow and use a sharp mower blade to avoid tears or rips, which are basically open wounds on the plant.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
The luxury department store chain employs 1,500 people to provide tailoring and alternations, from hemming jeans and repairing rips to fitting suits and reworking evening gowns.
—Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Dave Grohl plays drums, and absolutely rips.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
The technology is also moving into textiles and wearables, where self-repairing fabrics can mend small rips or abrasions, extending product life and reducing waste.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Silky and quiet, the 10-denier nylon (100 percent recycled) proved durable enough to resist snags or rips over two years of heavy use in Colorado’s high peaks.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
After washing and drying the sheet set several times, there were no signs of loose seams, pilling rips, holes, or color fading.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026
Care and Repair Before cleaning or storing, fix rips and tears in winter coats, including linings.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rips
Verb
-
Drink, drugs and sometimes tears.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Inheritance often tears families apart and much of that conflict is rooted in poor communication.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The fate of a key government surveillance tool is expected to be decided next week, as House GOP leadership rushes to reauthorize the program before an April 30 deadline.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2026
-
On a second-period power play, the Penguins allowed three odd-man rushes against.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ebuehi starts to drive away as the officer reaches out and grabs Ebuehi and the scooter.—
Naveen Dhaliwal,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The zookeeper grabs him and delivers the line of the year.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Food Processor quickly chops, slices, and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations, while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices, and herbs for superior flavor and potency.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Trump admin official shreds NY Times over multiple corrections to report on Silicon Valley initiative.—
,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The map slices through Kansas City, splitting the city’s voters across three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Toast 2–4 slices bread of choice (such as country-style sourdough or multigrain).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The way Radcliffe scurries out of his chair and into the green room to meet Liu illustrates her visceral impact.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Maden takes thee wine bottle from him and the officers reach for his wrists but Brown resists and yanks his arms back, the video shows.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Leaphorn yanks the jug his way (despite being cuffed) and is able to put the filter packet down his pants.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the end of each month, Amazon slashes prices on travel gear in order to clear house for the following month.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier this month, the White House released its fiscal year (FY) 2027 federal budget request, which slashes NASA's total budget by 23% and its science funding by 47%.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rips. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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