tear 1 of 2

noun

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
Definition of tearnext
as in slit
a long deep cut repaired a tear in the theater curtain just before the start of the show

Synonyms & Similar Words

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tear

2 of 2

verb

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
1
as in to rip
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it angrily tore the letter to shreds

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling tore the book from his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to speed
to proceed or move quickly she tore out of the room as soon as the phone started to ring

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of tear are cleave, rend, rip, rive, and split. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

When could cleave be used to replace tear?

In some situations, the words cleave and tear are roughly equivalent. However, 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 tear?

While in some cases nearly identical to tear, rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

In what contexts can rip take the place of tear?

The meanings of rip and tear largely overlap; however, rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When is rive a more appropriate choice than tear?

The words rive and tear can be used in similar contexts, but rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

When would split be a good substitute for tear?

The words split and tear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

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 tear
Noun
Very emotional—lots of tears, gratitude, sorrow. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025 The move seemed to surprise Fallon, who naturally tried to quell her tears by shouting at her. —Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
The trailer teases a rift that could tear MomTok apart. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025 Acuña has since won an MVP Award, but has also torn his ACL again. —Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear
  1. slit
  2. rip
  3. yank
  4. speed
  5. scratch
  6. grab
  7. scurry
  8. race
Noun
  • The social media influencer styled a sleeveless maxidress with a short train, featuring a high neckline and a thigh-high slit.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
  • To make these adorable wine cork place cards, cut a horizontal slit across the top of the wine cork and slide in a place card.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of slit
Verb
  • Midway through the third quarter, true freshman linebacker Mason Posa, buried on the depth chart just weeks ago, ripped the ball loose at Washington’s 7-yard line and fell on it himself.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • This is ripped from the news, our dark timeline.
    — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025
Definition of rip
Verb
  • Just as the video began, a man identified as Justin Calhoon, 19, lunged across the table, yanked it toward him and flipped it on its side while Turning Point materials spilled onto the pavement.
    — Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Ciattarelli promises to lower energy costs immediately by yanking the state out of a regional greenhouse gas initiative, as well as any other environmental policy that voters are sick of.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Definition of yank
Verb
  • Researchers also discovered that dark energy had not always been dominant, appearing to begin its rule and start speeding up the expansion of the universe around 5 billion years ago, or roughly 9 billion years after the Big Bang.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The vehicle reportedly sped into a shopping plaza, where the incident — captured on video — unfolded.
    — Bonny Chu , Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of speed
Noun
  • Blood from my knee painted more red down a canvas of a million smaller scratches.
    — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Different types of objects have been successfully 3D printed in space, but making functional human tissue from scratch — blood vessels, for example — requires special innovation.
    — Jessica Rendall, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • However, Cena outsmarted him by grabbing the chair, throwing it next to Dom, and pretending to be down on the mat.
    — Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the naked man walking across the street prior to the incident, seemingly talking to himself and grabbing a sign, per NBC 4.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Definition of grab
Verb
  • But much of it has also been done in private, with scouts scurrying across the country to see players early and begin tracking their progress throughout the season.
    — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Things also scurried in the branches above.
    — Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • Like me — a reluctant movie guy who never liked racing, and now somehow has three racecars.
    — Chris Cardillo, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Toyota already has a rich history racing those events in truck/car classes, so why not stamp its name on a separate page of the books?
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of race

Phrases Containing tear

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tea party
tear
tearaway
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Cite this Entry

“Tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tear

Nglish: Translation of tear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tear

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