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rend

verb \ ˈrend \

Definition of rend

rent play \ˈrent\ also rended play \ˈren-dəd\; rending
transitive verb
1 : to remove from place by violence : wrest
2 : to split or tear apart or in pieces by violence
3 : to tear (the hair or clothing) as a sign of anger, grief, or despair
4 a : to lacerate mentally or emotionally
b : to pierce with sound
c : to divide (something, such as a nation) into contesting factions
intransitive verb
1 : to perform an act of tearing or splitting
2 : to become torn or split

See rend defined for English-language learners

See rend defined for kids

Examples of rend in a Sentence

  1. They rent the cloth to shreds.

  2. mourners rending their clothes in grief

Recent Examples of rend from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of rend

Middle English, from Old English rendan; akin to Old Frisian renda to tear and perhaps to Sanskrit randhra hole

rend Synonyms

Synonyms

rip, rive, shred, tatter, tear;

Related Words

break, cleave, rupture, split;

cut, gash, incise, lacerate, slash;

butcher, dismember, dissect, hack, mangle;

Synonym Discussion of rend

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

REND Defined for English Language Learners

rend

verb

Definition of rend for English Language Learners

  • : to tear (something) into pieces with force or violence

REND Defined for Kids

rend

verb \ ˈrend \

Definition of rend for Students

rent \ˈrent\; rending
: to tear apart by force

Learn More about rend

  1. See words that rhyme with rend Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rend Spanish Central: Translation of rend Nglish: Translation of rend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of rend for Arabic speakers

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