rip apart

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 figuratively

a 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

Others are also working toward justice for the families ripped apart. —ABC News, 28 May 2026

Eric Pierwsza, 48, allegedly used a Kubota excavator to rip apart the rear of the family's home. —Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 27 May 2026

Deep, iron-rich mantle rocks were pushed toward the surface over millions of years as plates first ripped apart and then collided. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026

One of the boys had turned back to the crowd, face skin twisted around wild eyes, red cheeks about to rip apart from the rictus. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 18 May 2026

Rhymes for rip apart

• counterpart
• art
• cart
• carte
• chart
• dart
• fart
• haart
• mart
• part
• smart
• start