shred

noun

\ 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 archaic : to cut off

2 : to cut or tear into shreds shredded the documents

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

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

The only take-away from that Saturday: a shred of denim. — Jason Pohl, azcentral, "From missing to legally dead: The search for Sheriff's Office posse member Sam Grider," 12 Jan. 2018 Those chances of going deep likely hinged on continuing to win and shutting out every last shred of negativity. — Martin Rogers, USA TODAY, "Mexico choked and now its World Cup run looks doomed," 27 June 2018 Jaxon's parents live in awe of their son, who has overcome every shred of doubt that science has presented him. — Sarah Schreiber, Good Housekeeping, "Jaxon Strong, Miracle Baby Born With Most of His Skull Missing, Just Hit an "Impossible" Milestone," 11 Nov. 2016 Perhaps another young woman, someone with a shred of pride and dignity, would have saved up her own money and bought the Speedy for herself. — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "A Handbag Named Desire: Desperate for a Vuitton Speedy in Working-Class Massapequa," 31 Aug. 2018 There's not a single corroborating witness, there's not a single shred of evidence. — Fox News, "Reps. Meadows, Jordan call on Rosenstein to testify," 27 Sep. 2018 As for his future at United, which has been labelled 'uncertain' by overzealous reporting keen to sensationalise every shred of information, Pogba says he is committed to his current contract. — SI.com, "Paul Pogba Opens Up on Difficult Spell Last Season & Brands Transfer Speculation as 'Just Words'," 5 June 2018 Not a shred of evidence about Trump, Russia collusion. — Fox News, "Conway: Denuclearization of North Korea benefits the world," 12 June 2018 There’s not a shred of evidence that these laws work. — Katie Zezima, Washington Post, "Federal, state authorities step up fentanyl prosecutions as drug drives spike in overdoses," 7 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Here’s a satisfying GIF showcasing how the painting should have shredded. — Julia Alexander, The Verge, "New Banksy video shows Girl with Balloon should have been totally shredded," 18 Oct. 2018 Like many shredded memory foam pillows, the fill in each can be adjusted to suit a wide range of different sleepers. — Don Melanson, Popular Mechanics, "How To Find the Perfect Pillow and Finally Get a Good Night's Sleep," 3 Oct. 2018 Lartey said the most frequently shredded items that came across his desk were news articles -- specifically, ones that depicted Trump in an unflattering light. — Sarah Westwood, CNN, "Ex-WH aide says he was tasked with taping together Trump's torn-up papers," 11 June 2018 Where To Stay Complete with spa, steam room and sauna, this hotel in the heart of the village offers many ways to unwind after a big day of shredding on the slopes. — Todd Plummer, Town & Country, "The Right Way To Ski Mount Buller, Australia’s Winter Playground," 10 Dec. 2018 Scatter over pizza dough and sprinkle with 1 1⁄4 cups shredded mozzarella. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Buffalo Chicken Pizza," 27 Dec. 2018 Fold in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Easy Weeknight Meals," 21 Dec. 2018 Steel Panther sound like Van Halen meets Motley Cru meets Ratt meets Wayne’s World, complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive. — John Adamian, courant.com, "Steel Panther To Play Webster Theater," 21 Apr. 2018 Solar panels left shredded by Hurricane Maria at a utility-scale solar power plant in Humacao. — TIME.com, "Maria’s Shadow," 23 Jan. 2018

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.