rip 1 of 3

1
as in to tear
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it the dog ripped the sleeve of my shirt by grabbing it with his teeth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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rip

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noun (1)

rip

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noun (2)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rip different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rip are cleave, rend, rive, split, and tear. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When might cleave be a better fit than rip?

The synonyms cleave and rip are sometimes interchangeable, but cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

When can rend be used instead of rip?

While the synonyms rend and rip are close in meaning, rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

When could rive be used to replace rip?

Although the words rive and rip have much in common, rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

In what contexts can split take the place of rip?

While in some cases nearly identical to rip, split implies a cutting or breaking apart in a continuous, straight, and usually lengthwise direction or in the direction of grain or layers.

split logs for firewood

Where would tear be a reasonable alternative to rip?

In some situations, the words tear and rip are roughly equivalent. However, tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rip
Verb
The Camp Fire, California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire, is a few hours off from igniting and ripping through the town of Paradise and its neighbors, but the stage is set. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025 Hospitals overflowing with patients ripped by shrapnel and pierced by bullets. Brendan Rascius, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
With the rip and the lack of a selloff even after the heights reached on a Friday afternoon, Monday’s importance can’t be underestimated, given the levels blown through by so many stocks. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025 The safest move is to avoid the water altogether, but knowing what to do if you are caught in a rip is just as vital. Forrest Brown, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rip
Verb
  • Before 2014, the building was abandoned and MIA wanted to tear it down.
    Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
  • While Bruce the shark tore through limbs, there were also conspiracy thrillers, period dramas, counterculture satires, and deeply anti-authority crime flicks to rule the roost.
    Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That's when the state is planning to put Ralph Menzies to death for the murder of 25-year-old Maurine Hunsaker, a married mother of three who was found tied to a tree with her throat slit nearly 40 years ago.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
  • When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, the brief said.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Compost for Life uses black soldier fly larvae to break down organic material.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Neutrogena Clean Face Oil-free Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 Recor prefers this oil-free SPF for his face while flying.
    Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In fact, Labyrinth was yanked from some theaters less than a month after its release.
    Logan Karlie September 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
  • After deciding to take his family to a tourist town for some fun in the sun, a minor encounter with local bullies yanks the family into the crosshairs of an unhinged, blood-thirsty crime boss (Sharon Stone), who is determined to derail his relaxation.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Shoppers recommend slicing it before freezing so individual portions are ready to grab whenever a craving hits.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Its beauty lies in low-slung pastel buildings, pine forests edging the city, and ferries slicing through the Baltic toward fortress islands like Suomenlinna—while locals linger in cafés over cardamom buns or get cozy in harborside saunas.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One of Marron’s sisters hurried in to see what had happened.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025
  • But fans may want to hurry to buy the dish since the company has not revealed how long the limited-run promotion will last.
    Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Video surveillance from the scene posted online by Fox 11 shows a man lingering near a doorway, quickly grabbing the gift box from a table and running out of the venue.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The owner wanted to keep the grab-and-go options previously offered in the space.
    La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • On the other hand, Democrats have worked to nationalize the race by tying Earle-Sears to Trump and his efforts to slash the federal workforce.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The deadly shooting occurred on a street in the Brownsville section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn near the 73rd Precinct station house, where the suspect slashed an officer with a knife that authorities said had a 14-inch blade, according to police.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rip. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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