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tear up

verb

tore up; torn up; tearing up; tears up

transitive verb

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
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.
Squirrels will tear up insulation for nesting and may chew through wires, which is a clear fire hazard. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025 Cloutier has a lot of guys around him that can make plays, maybe even more that last year when Quentin Gibson and Chris Jimerson were tearing up opposing defenses. Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Nov. 2025 Those boys would have torn up anyone who got in their way then. Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025 On Frisco's Main Street, roads and sidewalks are still torn up and parking is hard to come by. Erin Jones, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear up

Word History

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tear up was in 1620

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20up. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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