as in tears
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
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Recent Examples of ribbons
Liz Regalia, Parents, 24 Oct. 2025
Every October, breast cancer awareness campaigns fill our feeds with pink ribbons, fundraising walks and survivor stories.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2025
As if this weren’t enough reason to look up, Comet SWAN will make its own cameo further east, and if weather permits, the northern lights could ripple across high-latitude skies, painting them with ribbons of green and pink.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Standing tall at 7 feet, the pre-lit tree features plush branches with plenty of room for ornaments, garlands, and ribbons.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
The heels of the sneakers feature impressive cushioning for a comfy, snug fit right from the box, and to give the shoes a more feminine touch, the laces are beautiful purple ribbons.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
At night, the helical patterns look adorned with ribbons of LED lighting, transforming the bridge into a shimmering sculpture that reflects in the waters below.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Known for creating ribbons of colorful light in the night sky, the aurora borealis are polar lights, or aurora polaris, that appear in the northern hemisphere.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Despite flowing through one of the world's most arid regions, the Hotan feeds ribbons of vegetation sprouting around its banks.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
Lamaze Peek-a-Moo Friendly Barn—This plush barn from TOMY features crinkle flaps on the roof, satin ribbons, patterns, and a cow plush with a crinkle texture.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 24 Oct. 2025
Every October, breast cancer awareness campaigns fill our feeds with pink ribbons, fundraising walks and survivor stories.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2025
As if this weren’t enough reason to look up, Comet SWAN will make its own cameo further east, and if weather permits, the northern lights could ripple across high-latitude skies, painting them with ribbons of green and pink.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Standing tall at 7 feet, the pre-lit tree features plush branches with plenty of room for ornaments, garlands, and ribbons.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
The heels of the sneakers feature impressive cushioning for a comfy, snug fit right from the box, and to give the shoes a more feminine touch, the laces are beautiful purple ribbons.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
At night, the helical patterns look adorned with ribbons of LED lighting, transforming the bridge into a shimmering sculpture that reflects in the waters below.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
Known for creating ribbons of colorful light in the night sky, the aurora borealis are polar lights, or aurora polaris, that appear in the northern hemisphere.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Despite flowing through one of the world's most arid regions, the Hotan feeds ribbons of vegetation sprouting around its banks.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbons
Noun
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As fans of Zaxbys' Zalads know, the Asian Zensation Zalad is one of the restaurant's healthiest lunch options with its combination of chicken, greens, crispy wonton strips, and slaw topped with a citrus-spiked vinaigrette.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
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Using a pizza cutter, cut dough lengthwise into 8 equal strips; cut strips in half (making 16 strips in total), and then cut lengthwise in half again to make 32 (½-inch-wide) thin strips.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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First released in 2020 on South Africa’s M-Net, a division of MultiChoice, and now a Canal Plus company, the thriller about how a family tears itself apart in a succession battle built a huge fandom in South Africa and fame abroad.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
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The Achilles tears that the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers suffered during the 2025 playoffs have made the race for the conference wide open this coming season.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The seventh-gen Mantra M7 still rips, but it’s finally figured out how to have a little fun, too.—
Marina Knight,
Outside,
17 Oct. 2025
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Continue reading … CRIME MAGNET – Washington Post rips Democratic Socialist's costly bus proposal for New Yorkers.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The chicken shreds beautifully in this dish, and the vegetables become soft and tender.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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Extreme weather at the poles stresses crucial moss and lichen, and shreds entire habitats in hours.—
Marion Renault,
The Atlantic,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbons. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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