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
His disrespect for the truth and his burning hate for anyone who disagrees with him is tearing apart our country.
—
Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
But when open conflict broke out between Israel and Iran on June 13, that plan was torn apart.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Let victims testify: the parents who watched their kids regress academically, the business owners bankrupted by whims, the families torn apart by isolation.
—Houman Hemmati, Oc Register, 20 July 2025
The week that preceded the Truth Social binge on Sunday may very well have been the most frustrating of Trump’s second term, not only because the Epstein scandal threatened to tear apart his MAGA coalition, but because Trump could not persuade the usual people to drop the story.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 July 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.
Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
But when open conflict broke out between Israel and Iran on June 13, that plan was torn apart.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Let victims testify: the parents who watched their kids regress academically, the business owners bankrupted by whims, the families torn apart by isolation.
—Houman Hemmati, Oc Register, 20 July 2025
The week that preceded the Truth Social binge on Sunday may very well have been the most frustrating of Trump’s second term, not only because the Epstein scandal threatened to tear apart his MAGA coalition, but because Trump could not persuade the usual people to drop the story.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 July 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 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share