TEARS Synonyms: 157 Similar and Opposite Words

tears 1 of 2

noun

plural of tear

as in slits

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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tears

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tear

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

as in yanks

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reattaches

as in rushes

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

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

Noun

The crowd erupted, some cheering and others brought to tears, a collective wave of emotion rolling over us as the sky went dark. — Annissa Durar, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Aug. 2026 Through tears, Duarte described seeing footage of four men who wore ski masks and carried rifles getting out of a minivan and forcing her son and Ruelas into a second car. — Kevin Sieff, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 Alcott, who was commentating for BBC Sport at the time, held back tears while broadcasting from the scene in Cortina d’Ampezzo, in northern Italy. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026 And then this came totally out of the blue, and I was moved to tears. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 The chance for McCarthy to lead his hometown team brought the first-year Pittsburgh Steelers coach to tears when he was hired in January. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Montes’ daughter, who recorded the video, wiped tears off of his face. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 The past few years have been filled with a lot of Fast silence, but the engine seemed to recently be finally revving up, as Diesel just revealed that the current draft of the Fast 11 script brought him to tears. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026 With tears in their eyes, Raq wonders if her son still loves her. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

Verb

In a sense, the proof shows that a world in which love never returns is a world whose geometry tears itself apart—assuming, of course, the proof holds up. — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026 Instead of wiping firmware, an adversary nudges a setpoint, edits a protection parameter, distorts a sensor feed—or shows the operator a calm screen while the equipment tears itself apart. — Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 When a testicle ruptures, the tough outer covering, called the tunica albuginea, actually tears open after an extremely forceful blow. — Angela Haupt, Time, 22 July 2026 Carter further complicates things in last week’s episode, when he drunkly tears an animal mount off the wall during Oreana’s grandmother’s big party at the 10-Petal Ranch. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026 As an example of how his platform would work, Wehmeyer pointed to processing insurance claims after a tornado tears through a house in Minnesota. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 24 June 2026 While the director tears his hair out, the producers see the footage and sign the Minions on the spot, but their fame is short-lived with the arrival of the talkies. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 21 June 2026 When a battery dies, the industry routinely tears it apart to access the parts that matter. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears

Noun

Side slits encourage airflow on hot, sticky days, and there are two for stashing small essentials.

— Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026
Its stretchy, lightweight fabric and slits that reach above the knee keep you cool and comfortable.

— Brooke Knappenberger, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of slits

Verb

The ambitious staging literally rips the fourth wall off a two-story house, giving a voyeuristic view into the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom.

— William Earl, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Pouring them straight into a trash bag could lead to a smelly mess if the bag rips and leaks.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of rips

Verb

Johnson yanks veterans' benefits package An effort to advance a package of VA benefits bills this morning on the House floor went down in flames – the latest in Speaker Mike Johnson's struggle to get Republicans on the same page.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 16 July 2026
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

Definition of yanks

Verb

But his wildly unfiltered speech grabs the attention of beautiful and brash public defender Ginger (Gilpin), herself a crusader for truth.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
Profanity also grabs attention since the shock value of an F-bomb can lead to more media coverage and clips circulating on social media.

— Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of grabs

Verb

November races to watch With three months until election day, four swing districts in California, Washington and Arizona could play key roles.

— Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
In The Secret of Secrets novel, symbologist Robert Langdon races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist and her groundbreaking manuscript whose discoveries have the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026