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.
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 Hall starts to tear up as his silver medal is confirmed — this means a lot to him. Sean Nevin, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026 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 14 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster