tear apart
phrasal 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 figurativelyThe 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
If Tarasenko has a bounce-back year and the kids deliver on some of their promise, this was already a Wild group that led the league in points leading up to the Christmas break before injuries helped tear apart the season, most notably to Kaprizov.
—
Michael Russo, New York Times, 1 July 2025
The city will have now to tackle the thorny problem of putting into practice what has long been the development goal for the area: knit together downtown with city neighborhoods to the north, the two torn apart by the construction of Interstates 91 and 84 in the 1960s.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
Communities torn apart and lives upended by extreme weather events across the country (and the globe) feel in their bones that climate change/global warming is doing real damage to their lives and livelihoods.
—Joan Michelson, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
In the process, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear apart
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Russo, New York Times, 1 July 2025
The city will have now to tackle the thorny problem of putting into practice what has long been the development goal for the area: knit together downtown with city neighborhoods to the north, the two torn apart by the construction of Interstates 91 and 84 in the 1960s.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
Communities torn apart and lives upended by extreme weather events across the country (and the globe) feel in their bones that climate change/global warming is doing real damage to their lives and livelihoods.
—Joan Michelson, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
In the process, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tear apart
Cite this Entry
“Tear apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20apart. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share