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
Nigeria’s defence has also been torn apart.
—
Jay Harris, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
Over the next year, they’ll be torn apart and tested, facing fear and violence in a world with preconceived notions about them.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
And they are meant to be torn apart and put back together.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2025
His heroic death—torn apart by Demodogs while helping others escape from Hawkins Lab—cemented him as a tragic figure in the show’s history.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 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.
Jay Harris, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025
Over the next year, they’ll be torn apart and tested, facing fear and violence in a world with preconceived notions about them.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
And they are meant to be torn apart and put back together.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2025
His heroic death—torn apart by Demodogs while helping others escape from Hawkins Lab—cemented him as a tragic figure in the show’s history.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 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 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share