1
as in rips
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 yanks
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rushes
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 tears
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
Her husband Ve Bui accepted the honor, holding back tears.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Brownlee got the chance to sing with Minaj, which had the audience in tears.
—Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
That is is why a letter from her insurer, Transamerica, postmarked April 25 brought her to tears.
—Megan De Mar, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Brunson was in tears after the game, barely able to speak when asked by ESPN what the moment meant.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
After the game, with the glimmer of tears in their eyes, the New Yorker editor David Remnick and Vinson Cunningham celebrated the win, and were joined by Louisa Thomas, who managed a bit more equanimity.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
In Canoga Park, family, friends and residents gathered outside the apartment complex Sunday night where one woman was seen collapsing in tears after exiting an ambulance, according to reporting from KTLA News.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Through the tears and the triumphs, there were moments that slipped under the radar worthy of attention.
—Brian Robin, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 9 June 2026
If any of those are missing on the platform side, the acquisition will find the gap and pull on it until something tears.
—Louis Mosca, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The Un Certain Regard best actor award went to Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset for his turn in Rafiki Fariala’s Congo Boy, playing a teen talent in the Central African Republic who dreams of a career in music as a civil war tears his country apart.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
There was laughter, nervous laughter, lots of nervous laughter, and also tears.
—Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 May 2026
But their fresh start is quickly upended when a wildfire tears through the property.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
The current moment tears the Band-Aid off this old conflict and the complex system underneath.
—Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Drink, drugs and sometimes tears.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Jeffries tears into DeSantis as 'charismatically challenged' over redistricting gambit.
—FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
Unlike standard eye drops that get washed away by tears within minutes, living eye drops use bacteria that colonize the eye and continuously release therapeutic proteins after a single application.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
Her husband Ve Bui accepted the honor, holding back tears.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Brownlee got the chance to sing with Minaj, which had the audience in tears.
—Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
That is is why a letter from her insurer, Transamerica, postmarked April 25 brought her to tears.
—Megan De Mar, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Brunson was in tears after the game, barely able to speak when asked by ESPN what the moment meant.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
After the game, with the glimmer of tears in their eyes, the New Yorker editor David Remnick and Vinson Cunningham celebrated the win, and were joined by Louisa Thomas, who managed a bit more equanimity.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
In Canoga Park, family, friends and residents gathered outside the apartment complex Sunday night where one woman was seen collapsing in tears after exiting an ambulance, according to reporting from KTLA News.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Through the tears and the triumphs, there were moments that slipped under the radar worthy of attention.
—Brian Robin, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Verb
Heavy machinery tears into the Chit Chat Cafe at the base of the Pacifica Municipal Pier, June 9, 2026.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 9 June 2026
If any of those are missing on the platform side, the acquisition will find the gap and pull on it until something tears.
—Louis Mosca, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The Un Certain Regard best actor award went to Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset for his turn in Rafiki Fariala’s Congo Boy, playing a teen talent in the Central African Republic who dreams of a career in music as a civil war tears his country apart.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
There was laughter, nervous laughter, lots of nervous laughter, and also tears.
—Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 May 2026
But their fresh start is quickly upended when a wildfire tears through the property.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
The current moment tears the Band-Aid off this old conflict and the complex system underneath.
—Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Drink, drugs and sometimes tears.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Jeffries tears into DeSantis as 'charismatically challenged' over redistricting gambit.
—FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears
Noun
-
The pair of breezy pants feature a tie at the waist and thigh-high slits on either side of her legs, creating the illusion of a wrap skirt.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
-
Female cicadas cut slits along the thin twigs at the ends of branches to lay their eggs.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … GLOVES OFF — Fired '60 Minutes' veteran rips new bosses as incompetent, claims pro-Trump bias.—
,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
-
Both are subject to disruption from the Milky Way's gravity, which triggers bursts of star formation within them and rips away a stream of gas from both, called the Magellanic Stream.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Like a false note on an out-of-tune piano, a clunky verb, a sentence without rhythm, yanks the reader out the flow of the work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Maden takes thee wine bottle from him and the officers reach for his wrists but Brown resists and yanks his arms back, the video shows.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Traffic rushes by on the surrounding streets, but within the 16-acre neighborhood of Culdesac, cars are conspicuously absent.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
-
The stunt took place just yards from the waterfalls, where fast-moving water rushes toward steep drops.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Within days, Jesni was released from the hospital with a few scratches and not a single broken bone.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
Use a non-abrasive cleaning tool like a microfiber cloth to prevent scratches.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The design is what grabs your attention at first sight.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
-
Radke grabs a book and hands it to me.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The fate of roughly $2 billion annually that was intended to help reduce wildfire risk, promote clean water and build affordable housing, along with other efforts across California, is uncertain as the Legislature races to pass a state budget by Monday.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
-
In another clip, as the couple pulls into the driveway of the property, floodwater rapidly races down the concrete.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Any wind speeds over 58 mph are considered severe, according to NWS meteorologist Kyle Pallozzi.—
Racquel Bazos,
Baltimore Sun,
13 June 2026
-
This is a relatively slow method that just speeds up the typical ripening rate slightly, with about two to four days needed to ripen the avocados fully.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tears. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
