rip apart
phrasal verb
ripped apart; ripping apart; rips apart
1
: to completely destroy (something) by tearing it into pieces
The child ripped the toy apart.
Strong winds had ripped apart many of the little beach bungalows.
—often used figurativelya tragedy/scandal that almost ripped the family apart
2
: to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh or angry way especially by describing weaknesses, flaws, etc.
Critics ripped the author's latest novel apart.
an article that rips apart the mayor's plan
Examples of rip apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Ducks have been through the pain of ripping apart their own group of two-time conference finalists, from 2015 and 2017, and are now firmly in the ascent phase of their build.
—
Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 18 Jan. 2026
An example of such a fragrance is Mark Buxton’s Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum (1994), intended to smell like a flower ripped apart and glued back together with a hot iron; and 88 8, from the same brand, which was composed by Antoine Lie and designed to smell like gold.
—Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The flight of a third of the country’s population ripped apart families and has shaped the cultural and political landscape in the dozens of nations where Venezuelans have settled.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
As the middle of winter arrives for the enclave’s 2 million residents, such makeshift shelters are struggling to keep the weather at bay while humanitarian groups say aid remains insufficient, with tents ripped apart or blown away, leaving Palestinians exposed.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rip apart
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.
Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 18 Jan. 2026
An example of such a fragrance is Mark Buxton’s Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum (1994), intended to smell like a flower ripped apart and glued back together with a hot iron; and 88 8, from the same brand, which was composed by Antoine Lie and designed to smell like gold.
—Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The flight of a third of the country’s population ripped apart families and has shaped the cultural and political landscape in the dozens of nations where Venezuelans have settled.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
As the middle of winter arrives for the enclave’s 2 million residents, such makeshift shelters are struggling to keep the weather at bay while humanitarian groups say aid remains insufficient, with tents ripped apart or blown away, leaving Palestinians exposed.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rip apart
Cite this Entry
“Rip apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip%20apart. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
