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

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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

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as in yanks

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

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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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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

Seated in a wheelchair, he was quickly wheeled out of the courtroom after the sentencing, while some of his accusers hugged and brushed away tears. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 The night also featured some tears, surprise cameos, the reveal of a rehearsal injury for one pro dancer and a new change implented at the judges' panel. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 Paden’s father, Jim Paden, wiped away tears with a handkerchief at the sight of his son in handcuffs and clad in an orange jail garb. — Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 As Emanuel remembers in his new memoir, Roll the Calls, the speech brought him to tears. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026 Best baby bath accessories Make bath time just a little simpler and with a few less tears by using this bath pitcher with a two-in-one design for newborns to toddlers. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 The new owner obliged, as Soyka at the time, eyes filled with tears, discussed the turnover of Soyka in late 2018 to what became the now closed Latin American restaurant Chica. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026 The strip measures how much the eye produces tears over about five minutes. — Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 15 Sep. 2026 Kaley Cuoco is moved to tears by fiancé Tom Pelphrey’s Emmys win. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Verb

Following her father’s unexpected death, Carrie enters the public high school ecosystem and is forced to navigate a viral bullying scandal that tears through her community. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026 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 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

Make sure to cut slits in the dough to allow steam to escape, and coat the top with egg wash.

— Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2026
The campaign showcases Diesel’s creased denim treated with resin, 3-D denim, trompe l’oeil cable knit denim and the new regular-fit D-Heel jean, which has hidden vertical slits near the ankle, perfect for slipping through a stiletto heel.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of slits

Verb

During a process called Hills capture, as a stellar binary orbits a supermassive black hole and the gravitational influence of the black hole rips the binary apart, ejecting one star while capturing the other.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
But the coyote has other plans and rips it up, forcing the matter to trial.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of rips

Verb

When that doesn’t work, Vicki yanks off her mic and retreats to her bedroom, leaving the others uncertain of what to do next.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of yanks

Verb

Walker had four explosive rushes in the game, including a 60-yard touchdown.

— Daniel Popper, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Freshman Marshall Faulk of San Diego State rushes for an NCAA record 386 yards and scores seven touchdowns in his second collegiate game.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of rushes

Noun

Hahn is also the DJ of Linkin Park, the man behind the keys and record scratches that give the band its distinct blend of genres.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026
Vernon works directly into wax with scalpels and other implements, allowing scratches, fingerprints, and cuts to survive their translation into metal.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of scratches

Verb

The Supra is one of the vehicles most closely associated with Walker’s Fast & Furious character, Brian O’Conner, who builds and races a bright orange version of the A80 in the first installment of the popular movie franchise.

— Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026
Europe races to scale The political tensions come as Europe’s commercial space industry is gathering momentum.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of races

Verb

Of course, the vitamin A derivative—which speeds up cellular turnover to reveal fresher-looking skin— has been known to irritate some skin types.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
This slows down premature certainty and speeds up better decisions once the picture clarifies.

— Gilda D'Incerti, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026