rip

1 of 5

verb

ˈrip 

ripped; ripping

transitive verb

1

a

: to tear or split apart or open

ripped the fabric in half

ripped the page while turning it

ripped open the package

b

: to remove quickly or violently

ripped the poster off the wall

ripped her mask off

c

: to saw or split (wood) with the grain

2

: to slash or slit with or as if with a sharp blade

3

: to hit sharply

ripped a double to left field

4

: to utter violently : spit out

ripped out an oath

5

: criticize, disparage

The opposition ripped the president's handling of the issue.

The movie was ripped to shreds/pieces by critics.

intransitive verb

1

: to become ripped : rend

The coat ripped when it got caught on the doorknob.

2

: to go or move very quickly

ripped past second base

fire ripped through the forest

rip

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: a rent made by ripping : tear

2

: cut sense 5b

rip

3 of 5

noun (2)

1

: a body of water made rough by the meeting of opposing tides, currents, or winds

2

: a current of water roughened by passing over an irregular bottom

3

: rip current

rip

4 of 5

noun (3)

: a dissolute person : libertine

RIP

5 of 5

abbreviation

ˌär-ˌī-ˈpē 

1

[Latin requiescat in pace] may he rest in peace, may she rest in peace

2

[Latin requiescant in pace] may they rest in peace

Phrases

rip into

: to criticize in a very harsh or angry way

rip up

: to destroy something by tearing it to pieces

ripped up the letter

Synonyms of rip

Verb

• tear

Noun (1)

• tear
• slit

Noun (3)

• pervert
• degenerate
• rake
• deviate

Choose the Right Synonym for rip

tear, rip, rend, split, cleave, rive mean to separate forcibly.

tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

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

cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

Examples of rip in a Sentence

Verb

She ripped the fabric in half.

He ripped open the package.

The dog ripped the pillow to shreds.

The force of the explosion ripped a hole in the wall.

Her coat ripped when it caught on the doorknob.

I ripped the poster off the wall.

The sink had been ripped from the wall.

He ripped the page out of the magazine.

She ripped off her mask.

He ripped the letter from my hands.

Noun (1)

the hoe left rips in the lawn

Noun (3)

something of a rip in his youth, he eventually settled down

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Congressional Democrats have been eagerly drawing that contrast in recent days, ripping Trump for going abroad amid a crisis at home. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

The heart had been ripped out of the team. —Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025

Noun

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, 24 Oct. 2025

The most damaging weapons tend to be spinning discs that can spin up to about 250 mph, delivering huge kinetic energy that can throw, rip, and permanently disable rival bots. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rippen, from or akin to Middle Dutch reppen, rippen to pull, jerk

Noun (2)

perhaps from rip entry 2

Noun (3)

perhaps by shortening & alteration from reprobate

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (3)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rip

• let 'er rip
• let her rip
• let it rip
• let rip
• let rip with
• rip a hole
• rip apart
• rip cord
• rip current
• rip off
• rip-roaring

Rhymes for rip

• blip
• chip
• clip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• grip
• grippe
• hip
• ip
• kip
• lip

Kids Definition

rip

1 of 4 verb

ˈrip 

ripped; ripping

1

: to tear, cut apart, or open

2

: to slash or slit with or as if with a sharp blade

3

: to go with a rush

ripper noun

rip

2 of 4 noun

: a torn place : tear

rip

3 of 4 noun

: a body of water made rough by the meeting of opposing currents or by passing over a rough bottom

rip

4 of 4 noun

: a person who acts wild or gets into trouble

Etymology

Noun

probably a shortened and altered form of reprobate (noun)