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
That transformation will have rip, current and boating impacts reaching the coast by Monday. Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025 Women in their late 30s and early 40s were out on the same street in crop tops and ripped short shorts. Essence, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
And suddenly there was a rip in time, a twenty-heartbeat glimpse into the equally inhuman roll of ages where continents join and break apart. Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 Puzzles & Games Today’s Crossword Puzzle: Common site for a rip—four letters. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rip
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rip
Verb
  • The kids proceed to chase her through town before mercilessly tearing her apart.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
  • If Ennis moves up too quickly and has a bad outing against a top fighter at 154, fans and critics will not hesitate to tear him apart.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The material is lightweight with short sleeves and slits on each side that provide a great cooling effect when walking.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025
  • The blouse features a hint of a collar, soon-to-be-trending frog enclosures, and slits on the sleeves that mimic the trousers.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Firefighting helicopters on various occasions scooped up water from the lake when fighting wildfires instead of flying farther away.
    Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
  • In June, the Florida Division of Emergency Management worked with Grey Bull Rescue, which Collins had been assisting from the Middle East, to fly people out of the region.
    Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • About half of them worked to yank the women off each other while the rest cordoned off the scene with outstretched arms.
    Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Starbucks yanked its full-year forecast in October, shortly after Niccol took the reins of the company and months before Smith joined.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • To make this má là pig ear recipe, the ears are braised then thinly sliced, their cartilage softening into noodle-like ribbons.
    Jessica Liang, Saveur, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The chicken is sliced and served alongside a half-dome of rice, which is cooked in chicken fat for maximum flavor.
    Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Then Maye barked signals and hurried the offense back to the line, as the defense showed blitz.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Several people were seen hurrying to help Warren, including Susan Collins of Maine and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who grabbed her by her forearm to lift her up.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Four prisoners had to take turns using a bunk bed just to grab a few hours of sleep.
    Michael Collins, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
  • But Sunday, unfortunately for him, slipped away quickly as World No. 1 grabbed his fifth season title.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Even at a later point, a constituent said the president unilaterally slashed medical research at the National Institutes of Health and Congress did nothing.
    Obed Manuel, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Federal grants for another pathway into teaching, Americorps’ Teach for America program, were also recently slashed by the Trump administration.
    Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rip.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rip. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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