as in ripping
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
shredded some cooked chicken for the soup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shredding
Satriani and Vai have sustained their respective careers as forward-looking, envelope-shredding solo artists, composers and band leaders since the 1980s.
—
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Sugar became a familiar sight in the surf over the last 16 years, a small white pup who was often shredding at the Huntington Beach Pier among the locals.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Even factory resets may leave traces of data, so some recyclers will go as far as shredding a device's hard drive — and verify it's been destroyed.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Tonight, the spider will continue its lattice; tonight, the crystals will sprout spines, shredding my soft tissues.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Prepare this dish by shredding the chicken and chopping the carrots and leeks up to two days in advance.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
In the right hands, even the humblest city EV can become an unhinged, albeit highly entertaining, tire-shredding science experiment.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
The mechanical process involves reclaiming and shredding pre-consumer footwear uppers in a closed-loop method to create ThermoPlume PrimaLoft ReRun material.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
Schools now can rethink their football status, which could mean shredding those schedules.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Sugar became a familiar sight in the surf over the last 16 years, a small white pup who was often shredding at the Huntington Beach Pier among the locals.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
Even factory resets may leave traces of data, so some recyclers will go as far as shredding a device's hard drive — and verify it's been destroyed.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Tonight, the spider will continue its lattice; tonight, the crystals will sprout spines, shredding my soft tissues.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Prepare this dish by shredding the chicken and chopping the carrots and leeks up to two days in advance.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
In the right hands, even the humblest city EV can become an unhinged, albeit highly entertaining, tire-shredding science experiment.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
The mechanical process involves reclaiming and shredding pre-consumer footwear uppers in a closed-loop method to create ThermoPlume PrimaLoft ReRun material.
—Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
Schools now can rethink their football status, which could mean shredding those schedules.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shredding
Verb
-
Bodega owners are not ripping people off.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Like a wormhole opening between the two men, a bridge ripping through spacetime to connect disparate realities.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Johnn Baptista, who lives in the area, shared footage with the Miami Herald that showed the storm tearing his awning off the ground and tossing a children’s play set and other items across his yard.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Then, on a force play, Contreras slid hard into second, banging into shortstop David Hamilton’s left knee with his cleats and tearing his pants.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shredding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shredding. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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