tear 1 of 2

noun

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
Definition of tearnext
as in slit
a long deep cut repaired a tear in the theater curtain just before the start of the show

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tear

2 of 2

verb

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
1
as in to rip
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 to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling tore the book from his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to speed
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tear different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of tear are cleave, rend, rip, rive, and split. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

When could cleave be used to replace tear?

In some situations, the words cleave and tear are roughly equivalent. However, cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

When can rend be used instead of tear?

While in some cases nearly identical to tear, rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

In what contexts can rip take the place of tear?

The meanings of rip and tear largely overlap; however, rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When is rive a more appropriate choice than tear?

The words rive and tear can be used in similar contexts, but rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

When would split be a good substitute for tear?

The words split and tear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, split implies a cutting or breaking apart in a continuous, straight, and usually lengthwise direction or in the direction of grain or layers.

split logs for firewood

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 tear
Noun
It is written with the tears of the mothers of children who died selling drugs for Hoover. —Ronald S. Safer, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025 Ocasio-Cortez has gone on a tear against the Trump administration since President Donald Trump took office in January. —Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Verb
The show describes itself as a chess tournament between an American and Soviet chess player, as the two also fight over the woman torn between them. —Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025 The picture smacks you with mini-LED punch, deep contrast, and a 144 Hz refresh that keeps Valorant razor-smooth while AMD FreeSync stomps tearing. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear
  1. slit
  2. rip
  3. yank
  4. speed
  5. scratch
  6. grab
  7. scurry
  8. race
Noun
  • In the video circulated by TMZ, Lovato wore a strapless bridal gown with a dramatic thigh slit while the groom was decked out in a black tuxedo.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 May 2025
  • The high slit allows for the perfect amount of airflow, and the linen fabric blend also has cooling properties that won’t trap heat.
    — Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 23 May 2025
Definition of slit
Verb
  • Now the Trump administration wants to negate that argument by asserting that to harm an endangered species means only to injure or kill it directly: to rip it out by the roots or blow it away with a shotgun.
    — Emma Marris, The Atlantic, 25 May 2025
  • The Tangipahoa Jail is about 70 miles away from New Orleans, where 10 inmates escaped by ripping a toilet and sink unit from the wall and climbing through a hole on May 16.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Definition of rip
Verb
  • Weekend warriors yank out invasive plants to save L.A. River.
    — Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • This month, officials yanked millions in tax receipts from restaurant sales as well as state marketing support, according to local affiliate ABC4.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
Definition of yank
Verb
  • Even better news is that advancements are achievable: reducing administrative delays speeds up patient care and removes obstacles.
    — Yusuf Qasim, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • To speed things along, start sweet potato slips indoors in spring and transplant them into soil amended with compost to give your plants more energy to grow.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2025
Definition of speed
Noun
  • Many organisations are using the EU’s framework globally as a benchmark rather than creating their own from scratch.
    — Diana Spehar, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • And so Blomfield, who knows how to code, also tried his hand at vibe coding — both to rejig his blog and to create from scratch a website called Recipe Ninja.
    — John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 May 2025
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • In the morning, the restaurant doubles as a coffee shop where guests can grab drip coffee, fresh juices, and a small selection of hot and cold breakfast options, including the beloved Hawaiian classic, Loco Moco.
    — Jalyn Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
  • The colorful bar framed in bright neon lights is on the main concourse, so people walking by can grab a drink and head to the casino or other favorite activity, Allen said.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2025
Definition of grab
Verb
  • On April 21, during a live broadcast of Inside the NBA, the 53-year-old basketball hall of famer suddenly scurried off the studio set with an apparent bathroom emergency.
    — Sean Neumann, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • After the game, which had an early start time of 11 a.m., the seniors scurried to put on their caps and gowns for a 3:30 ceremony at the University of Texas Arlington College Park Center.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • Over the past century the price of gold has raced at a 2.2% average annual rate above inflation.
    — William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • With Luke slipping beyond reach, Elyse must race to save him and destroy the source before the company consumes him completely.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Definition of race

Phrases Containing tear

Browse Nearby Words

tea party
tear
tearaway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on tear

Nglish: Translation of tear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

Is it 'used to' or 'use to'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'

And So It Begins: 9 Words for Beginnings
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All