1
as in ripping
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
angrily tore the letter to shreds
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in yanking
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hurrying
to proceed or move quickly
she tore out of the room as soon as the phone started to ring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tearing
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025
Benjamin MacK-Jackson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
The one that was about ambition and friendship and celebrating women, not tearing them down.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
The good news is that turning an ordinary outdoor seating area into a lush, private escape does not require tearing anything out.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
But before the season started, point guard Fred VanVleet was ruled out after tearing his ACL.
—Shakeia Taylor, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Mother Mary is tearing off her clothes, removing her halo.
—Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
DiVincenzo is done for the season after tearing his right Achilles tendon, while Edwards’ status for Game 5 and beyond is in question.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy didn’t play at all last season after tearing his ACL, but after skipping the combine, was able to run during his pro day.
—Ben Kamisar, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
On the Sonora stage Sunday, the 22-year-old Newark rapper-producer who arrived at the current screaming catharsis via a circuit of molting SoundCloud-era microgenres was at once dangerously commanding and euphoric while tearing through highlights from last year’s Revengeseekerz.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
By acting as a biomechanical bridge, soft enough for muscle, strong enough for rigid parts, the tendons eliminate the tearing and detachment problems that have plagued previous designs.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
During a late-night safety test, the power plant’s Number 4 reactor exploded, tearing through the building and sending a column of radioactive material into the sky.
—Benjamin MacK-Jackson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
The one that was about ambition and friendship and celebrating women, not tearing them down.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
The good news is that turning an ordinary outdoor seating area into a lush, private escape does not require tearing anything out.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
But before the season started, point guard Fred VanVleet was ruled out after tearing his ACL.
—Shakeia Taylor, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Mother Mary is tearing off her clothes, removing her halo.
—Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
DiVincenzo is done for the season after tearing his right Achilles tendon, while Edwards’ status for Game 5 and beyond is in question.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy didn’t play at all last season after tearing his ACL, but after skipping the combine, was able to run during his pro day.
—Ben Kamisar, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
On the Sonora stage Sunday, the 22-year-old Newark rapper-producer who arrived at the current screaming catharsis via a circuit of molting SoundCloud-era microgenres was at once dangerously commanding and euphoric while tearing through highlights from last year’s Revengeseekerz.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing
Verb
-
With two outs and Andruw Monasterio at second following a double, the slumping Caleb Durbin came up with one of his biggest hits of the season, ripping an RBI double to put the Red Sox ahead.—
Mac Cerullo,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Images of the fire showed flames ripping through the building as firefighters carried out an exterior attack to extinguish the blaze.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After Correa doubled leading off the first against Tanner Bibee, Alvarez followed by yanking a curveball from the right-hander 422 feet over the wall in right field to give the Astros a 2-0 lead that held up for nine innings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Supporters in labor unions and in the House soon began yanking their endorsements.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No point hurrying toward a resolution that was always receding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of hurrying to break up tents and scatter RVs, Lee and Oakland’s interim homelessness chief Sasha Hauswald want city workers to focus on minimizing trash and human waste around encampments.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
One spring day in Paris many years ago, my wife, Diana, a most penetrating photographer, capable of seeing like no one else, decided, as an experiment, to walk across the city blindfolded.—
Hisham Matar,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Aug. 2024
-
Since the war began in Gaza, more than six months ago, the Israeli magazine +972 has published some of the most penetrating reporting on the Israel Defense Forces’ conduct.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2024
Verb
-
The Jaguars used their first pick of the NFL draft to land the blocking tight end Friday night, grabbing him in the second round with the 56th selection.—
Mark Long,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Seahawks stayed put yet again at the end of the second round, grabbing TCU safety Bud Clark with the 64th pick.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By evening, disruptive Uranus enters your 3rd House of Communication, speeding up conversations, decisions, and movement.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Last December, he was arrested and charged with suspicion of DWI, speeding and failing to properly affix his license plate.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The 2019 image of the peanut-chomping envoy quickly went viral, begetting a biting social-media hashtag: #LordCacahuates (Lord Peanuts).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wagner already missed 48 games during the regular season while working his way back from injury, and the caution surrounding his current calf strain is understandable given the risk associated with rushing that type of issue.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Let the conversation unfold without rushing to resolve it.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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