Simple Definition of rend

from our Learner's Dictionary

rend

verb

rends; rent ˈrɛnt How to pronounce rend (audio) also US rended; rending
literary : to tear (something) into pieces with force or violence
They rent the cloth to shreds.
mourners rending their clothes/garments in grief
sometimes used figuratively
a family rent [=torn apart] by divorce

Cite this Entry

“Rend.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/rend. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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