tear up
verb
tore up; torn up; tearing up; tears up
1
: to damage, remove, or effect an opening in
tore up the street to lay a new water main
2
: to perform or compete with great success on, in, or against
couples tearing up the dance floor
a batter who's tearing up the league
Examples of tear up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s an argument to be made that the Panthers should tear up Jackson’s contract and bump his pay.
—
Joseph Person, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Langdon, not surprisingly, is pretty torn up about losing Louie.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Next, tear up a package of mini croissants.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
About a dozen of Hall’s relatives — some tearing up — packed the courtroom.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear up
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Joseph Person, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Langdon, not surprisingly, is pretty torn up about losing Louie.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Next, tear up a package of mini croissants.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
About a dozen of Hall’s relatives — some tearing up — packed the courtroom.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tear up
Cite this Entry
“Tear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20up. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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