shred

noun

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\ ˈshred

, especially Southern ˈsred \

Definition of shred

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a long narrow strip cut or torn off

b shreds plural : a shredded, damaged, or ruined condition a reputation torn to shreds

2 : particle, scrap not a shred of evidence

shred

verb

shredded; shredding

Definition of shred (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to cut or tear into shreds shredded the documents

2 : demolish sense 2 sharp lawyers shredding hapless witnesses— Charles Krauthammer

3 archaic : to cut off

intransitive verb

: to come apart in or break up into shreds

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Examples of shred in a Sentence

Noun The wallpaper is in shreds. His reputation was in shreds after the arrest. He struggled to retain a shred of his dignity. Verb Shred the cabbage and add it to the salad. shredded some cooked chicken for the soup

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun One shred of optimism: since the phase-out, CFCs have been on the decline, so perhaps this Arctic amplification soon will be, too. — Lynn Johnson, National Geographic, "What's the ozone hole got to do with warming?," 5 Feb. 2020 At its simplest, chilaquiles combines hearty tortilla chips with a red or green sauce for a starchy combo that welcomes additions such as fried eggs, chicken shreds, cilantro, cheese. — Jeanmarie Brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Fall brunch has us turning on the oven for baked chilaquiles and the perfect apple cake," 24 Sep. 2019 At some point, the 6-6 Hurricanes will break out the Turnover Chain … in Shreveport …. against a Conference USA team … without a shred of irony or self awareness. — Ralph D. Russo, The Denver Post, "Why you should watch every college football bowl game," 18 Dec. 2019 That also explains why Riep, without a shred of arrogance, did not express surprise about the quality of his performance. — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "How Ohio State football’s Amir Riep appreciates seized his place in the Michigan rivalry," 5 Dec. 2019 The most classic one is long and narrow, with lots of fine blades that turn lemon zest and hard grating cheeses and chocolate into fluffy mounds of delicate tiny shreds. — Washington Post, "9 essential gadgets worth the real estate in your kitchen," 6 Jan. 2020 The most classic one is long and narrow, with lots of fine blades that turn lemon zest and hard grating cheeses and chocolate into fluffy mounds of delicate tiny shreds. — Katie Workman, NBC News, "9 essential gadgets worth the real estate in your kitchen," 6 Jan. 2020 Or check out the Almond Joy, which tastes just like the candy bar with plenty of shreds of coconut and chunks of almonds. — Brenda Cain, cleveland, "I’ve reported on ‘Cleveland’s Best’ contests for 3 years and these are the restaurants and dishes I keep going back to," 30 Dec. 2019 The only shred of positivity that Watford can take from Saturday's game is that Aguero had an off-day by his ridiculously high standards. — SI.com, "Manchester City Break Glut of Records in Devastating Display Against Toothless Watford," 21 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Raw shelled eggs stored above shredded cheese inside refrigerator. — Ebony Day, azcentral, "Moldy beef brisket among violations found in Phoenix-area restaurant inspections," 19 Feb. 2020 The foam is sorted and shredded into small pieces and then resold. — Michael Corkery, New York Times, "Your Foam Coffee Cup Is Fighting for Its Life," 10 Feb. 2020 Add 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, and stir until fully melted. — Keith Pandolfi, WSJ, "Why French Onion Dip Is the Right Move for Your Super Bowl Party," 23 Jan. 2020 Whether posting about a new barbecue spot, or a recipe consisting of Ruffles, Vienna sausages and shredded cheese, the Cypress Area Eats Facebook group celebrates food in the northwest Houston area, big and small. — Chevall Pryce, Houston Chronicle, "Food for the Cy-Fair soul: How three women started a unifying Facebook group," 16 Jan. 2020 After roasting, the vegetables, with all the pan drippings, are tossed into a bowl of shredded and seasoned kale to become a sort of warm, savory salad loaded with winning tastes and textures (and only one pan to scrub). — Molly Stevens, chicagotribune.com, "Finding calm in the kitchen isn’t always easy. Here’s how to start.," 11 Nov. 2019 Cuomo shredded through his power chords with a big grin on his face and decimated an awesome guitar solo before tackling the final chorus. — Mackenzie Cummings-grady, Billboard, "Weezer Performs Viral Hit 'Africa' On 'Jimmy Kimmel' With Cameo From Toto's Steve Porcaro: Watch," 13 June 2018 Serve with your favorite garnish – sour cream, cilantro, or shredded cheese. — Fox News, "Cooking with Friends: Laura Ingle's Rock and Roll Chili," 11 May 2018 Later, he was named in The Wall Street Journal as a Trump secret-squasher, with Farrow subsequently reporting in his book Catch and Kill that Howard shredded documents incriminating the president that the Enquirer had amassed but never printed. — Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, "Dylan Howard’s Hollywood Reboot: Why Are So Many A-Listers Working With a Tabloid Henchman?," 3 Feb. 2020

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