TORN Synonyms: 151 Similar and Opposite Words

torn

verb

Definition of torn next

past participle of tear

as in ripped

to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it angrily tore the letter to shreds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in grabbed

to separate or remove by forceful pulling tore the book from his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reattached

as in sped

to proceed or move quickly she tore out of the room as soon as the phone started to ring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 torn The story follows a young man torn between two women — one virtuous and one not so virtuous, whose powerful attraction takes hold of him. —

Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 But backers have yet to attract a factory, leaving a township torn by distrust and lawmakers demanding answers. —

CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 Things are kept mostly under wraps in this trailer, which spotlights the family vibe and the gnawing concern that something isn’t right, alongside jarring footage of a suburban street torn asunder. —

William Earl, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 Armed with my beloved buns (one already torn into) the rest of the flight slipped by, until New York’s piercing skyline came firmly into view. —

Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026 Kyrie Irving has maintained a steady presence around the Mavericks despite not playing this season because of his torn left ACL, but his team has missed his offensive production, especially in late-game situations. —

Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026 The two are joined by a cheeky girl named Mickie, who comes from a home torn by alcoholism. —

The Know, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026 Mexican filmmaker Jonás Cuarón, now on his fourth feature, has settled into an ecstatic style that feels naturally torn from his father’s cloth, but with a signature stamp of his own on border-crossing stories. —

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026 The film follows a Circassian circus troupe in New Jersey and centers on a young wrestler (Talha Akdogan) torn between his father’s restaurant and the troupe’s high-wire acts. —

Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn

Verb

In the bottom of the second, Sierra Canyon catcher Aiden Jahng ripped a double into the left-center field gap on an 0-2 count to put the Trailblazers up 2-0.

— Tony Gleason, Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
Even the series most absurd premise — a competition in which immigrants compete for citizenship — feels ripped from the headlines.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026