tear apart

verb

tore apart; torn apart; tearing apart; tears apart

1

: to completely destroy (something) by tearing it into pieces

I couldn't open the box nicely, so I just tore it apart.

—often used figuratively

The robbers tore apart the house looking for the money.

We tore the other team apart in yesterday's game.

We can't agree, and it's tearing our family apart.

2

: to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh or angry way especially by describing weaknesses, flaws, etc.

The article tears apart the company's handling of the situation.

They tore him apart when he left.

Examples of tear apart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When a neighboring family spots bruises on the couple’s daughter, the Gheorghui family are torn apart by a child services investigation. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 23 May 2026

Despite Christophe’s many efforts to escape his origins, Clichy never portrays his home front as a horrible place, but rather as a loving household torn apart by financial worry and alcoholism. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026

And its landscape is otherworldly—with a rift valley, lava fields torn apart by tectonic forces, and gorges and fissures aplenty. —Carinne Geil Botta, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026

Additionally, scientists last year observed a massive portion of the Juan de Fuca plate off the coast of Vancouver Island tearing apart for the first time. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 May 2026

Rhymes for tear apart

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