tear 1 of 2

as in slit
a long deep cut repaired a tear in the theater curtain just before the start of the show

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tear

2 of 2

verb

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
Lenovo's tear through a succession of Legion Go products is a mighty indicator that PC gaming handhelds aren't just a fad. Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 The three-time Oscar winner pours all his love for the source material into a deeply sentimental homage that is cloying at points, but also reduced me to tears about halfway in. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Blake Craig tore his ACL and is out for the season. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2025 But as the war tears at civilian life, Sashi’s four brothers and their friend K are pulled into the conflict. Eliana Ramage september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear
Noun
  • The frock featured a soft, angular neckline along with a thigh-high slit and large bow.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The slit lamp is a specialized microscope with a bright light that creates a thin, intense beam to illuminate the eye.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sometimes the stories were ripped from the headlines, capitalizing on media frenzy.
    Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The Padres ripped him for six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 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
  • Anduril highlights that the architecture also speeds software updates.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The worst issue is that The Portal, with changes meant to speed up progression, allegedly, launched giving everyone less powerful drops, making the new power climb ridiculous.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Avoid stacking pans without protection to prevent scratches and chips.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
  • People are now created from scratch.
    Rohan Pinto, Forbes.com, 8 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
  • In the tall-grass prairies that once spread out across pre-settlement Indiana, tiny ground squirrels scurried through the wildflowers, grasses and shrubs.
    Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Brett Ryan, aided by Robbie Carter’s young daughter, scurried to place markers at the sites of the longest throws, before chucking the corpses back to the starting line.
    Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Thousands of residents were evacuated as the flames raced up the Santa Ana Mountains, cresting and driving straight toward the Lake Elsinore area, burning cabins in the Cleveland National Forest’s Holy Jim Canyon and then homes in the El Cariso Village neighborhood.
    Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
  • With California poised to become the first state to formally regulate microplastics in consumer products, many brands and retailers are racing to evaluate their value chains in anticipation of significant operational shifts.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!