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

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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

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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
This sparked heated debates, hurt feelings and lots of tears. —Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 5 July 2025 The magic on our stages over the past 40 years has evoked countless laughs and tears, endless debate and reflection, untold moments of angst and joy, infinite sparks of inspiration and creativity, and truly immeasurable emotions of hope, surprise, and happiness. —Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
Movie Night 2025 is bound to bring couples together or tear them apart. —Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 The bodies of the doctor, his wife, daughter and son-in-law, arrived at Shifa Hospital torn into pieces, according to Issam Nabhan, head of the nursing department at the Indonesian Hospital. —arkansasonline.com, 3 July 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
  • These white jeans that come in a classic straight-leg style and have a breezy side slit.
    — Nicol Natale, People.com, 11 July 2025
  • When approaching a sea turtle egg, the ghost crab will snip a distinctive slit into eggshells.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Definition of slit
Verb
  • Trump tear-gasses children, rips them from their parents, and deports farmworkers.
    — Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
  • Trees that are 100 years old just ripped out of the ground.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Definition of rip
Verb
  • Squirrels love to yank new plants out of the ground.
    — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
  • Rivera fired his Taser at Feliz, then got into the car on the passenger’s side and threatened to shoot Rivera as a physical struggle ensued, according to body camera footage, as another officer attempted to yank Feliz out of the vehicle.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
Definition of yank
Verb
  • The film is projected to earn $24 million over the weekend and speed past $107 million by Sunday.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 July 2025
  • Ionic technology, on the other hand, speeds up dry time and cuts frizz (especially helpful in humid weather) but can leave fine hair looking too sleek or limp if overused.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
Definition of speed
Noun
  • Order your pizza and, within five minutes, a robot would craft your pie from scratch, no human hands required.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
  • Area rugs are an excellent solution for protecting hard floors from scratches and scuffs while adding warmth and texture to your space.
    — Ali Faccenda, People.com, 6 July 2025
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • Order fish tacos or fresh salads at Bad Boy Burrito; grab at coffee at Cafe Moka; shop for clothing and gifts at Miss Monroe Boutique; and browse the open-air stalls at boo kee sue Botanics for handmade textiles, ceramics, and more.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
  • To find your nearest 7-Eleven and grab a free Slurpee, search the store locator on 7-Eleven's website.
    — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of grab
Verb
  • For more than 70 years, thousands of common wall lizards, known as Lazarus lizards, have scurried across sidewalks and lurked in your garden.
    — Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Then, scurrying back inside, Margo went straight for the unattended pantry.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • While nothing gets a marketer’s heart racing like the quixotic desire to overcome scarcity, the vanishing dollar demos should discourage this kind of self-defeating strategy.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 July 2025
  • The European Union is racing to plug a shortfall of as much as $19 billion in Ukraine’s 2026 annual budget.
    — Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of race

Phrases Containing tear

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tea party
tear
tearaway
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Cite this Entry

“Tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tear

Nglish: Translation of tear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tear

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