tear apart
phrasal verb
tore apart; torn apart; tearing apart; tears apart
1
: to completely destroy (something) by tearing it into pieces
I couldn't open the box nicely, so I just tore it apart.
—often used figurativelyThe robbers tore apart the house looking for the money.
We tore the other team apart in yesterday's game.
We can't agree, and it's tearing our family apart.
2
: to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh or angry way especially by describing weaknesses, flaws, etc.
The article tears apart the company's handling of the situation.
They tore him apart when he left.
Examples of tear apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Deborah Collins caught her twin sister Elizabeth in bed with her husband last week, Hall says, tearing apart their lifelong bond.
—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
The show chronicles a family torn apart by war and hatred.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The film imagines a near-future dystopia where the United States has been torn apart under the authoritarian rule of a three-term president (Nick Offerman).
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024
The big question is whether these changes can bring calm to Haiti, and put a stop to the terrible violence tearing apart Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024
The actor got in impeccable shape to embody the character of Billy Hope, a champion boxer whose family has been torn apart, bringing a raw intensity to each of the film's fight sequences.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The latest incidents at the camp began Feb. 28, when a demolition crew operating heavy machinery tore apart the previous shelters that volunteers had built, according to photos and videos provided by Schultz.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
Watson tore apart his house, digging out every flash drive.
—Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024
Parts of Gaza look like a wasteland One hundred days into the war, thousands of lives have been lost and countless families torn apart.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024
Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024
The show chronicles a family torn apart by war and hatred.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
The film imagines a near-future dystopia where the United States has been torn apart under the authoritarian rule of a three-term president (Nick Offerman).
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024
The big question is whether these changes can bring calm to Haiti, and put a stop to the terrible violence tearing apart Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024
The actor got in impeccable shape to embody the character of Billy Hope, a champion boxer whose family has been torn apart, bringing a raw intensity to each of the film's fight sequences.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024
The latest incidents at the camp began Feb. 28, when a demolition crew operating heavy machinery tore apart the previous shelters that volunteers had built, according to photos and videos provided by Schultz.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
Watson tore apart his house, digging out every flash drive.
—Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024
Parts of Gaza look like a wasteland One hundred days into the war, thousands of lives have been lost and countless families torn apart.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tear apart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tear apart
Cite this Entry
“Tear apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20apart. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share