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
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Recent Examples of tears
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Troy Brown was in tears Monday while talking about his son, who died in the shooting.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS PASSING THE TORCH — Brock Lesnar retires in tears after Oba Femi pins him at WrestleMania 42.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Fire tears through 5 buildings Smoke detectors were heard screeching up and down the block when firefighters arrived.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Gubicza fought back tears both off and on the air Friday when talking about the longtime Angels outfielder, who died at 53 on Thursday.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
Castellanos, sitting next to his attorneys, was brought to tears.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
The trailer had plenty of groans, gasps and even a few tears as Knoxville and the crew put their bodies on the line to say goodbye.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Argentina should not waste its tears crying for Rachel Zegler.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
As the GIs raise their guns, a pudgy hand in the backseat tears a strip of white cloth from his companion’s petticoat for the chauffeur to hang out the window.
—Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
If the oyster tears slightly, don’t panic; flavor matters much more than perfection.
—Rai Mincey, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
His scientist creator, Victor Frankenstein, reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment tears the unfinished mate limb from limb as the creature watches on in horror.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
Under her watch, Americans have been murdered in cold blood, DHS has obstructed lawful congressional oversight, dismissed credible reports of abuse, carried out an extreme agenda that tears families apart and destabilizes communities.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
Catherine uplifted us in a world that often tears us down.
—Andrew Gelwicks, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
Wielding his powers, Simon tears the cell bars away.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
But this time there were no Luka Doncic tears.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
Vince won the case at trial, though Linda was reportedly left in tears when an exchange in court revealed another Vince affair.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Troy Brown was in tears Monday while talking about his son, who died in the shooting.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS PASSING THE TORCH — Brock Lesnar retires in tears after Oba Femi pins him at WrestleMania 42.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Fire tears through 5 buildings Smoke detectors were heard screeching up and down the block when firefighters arrived.
—Christina Fan, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Gubicza fought back tears both off and on the air Friday when talking about the longtime Angels outfielder, who died at 53 on Thursday.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
Castellanos, sitting next to his attorneys, was brought to tears.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
The trailer had plenty of groans, gasps and even a few tears as Knoxville and the crew put their bodies on the line to say goodbye.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Argentina should not waste its tears crying for Rachel Zegler.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
The company regularly buys brand-new devices and tears them to pieces.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
As the GIs raise their guns, a pudgy hand in the backseat tears a strip of white cloth from his companion’s petticoat for the chauffeur to hang out the window.
—Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
If the oyster tears slightly, don’t panic; flavor matters much more than perfection.
—Rai Mincey, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
His scientist creator, Victor Frankenstein, reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment tears the unfinished mate limb from limb as the creature watches on in horror.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
Under her watch, Americans have been murdered in cold blood, DHS has obstructed lawful congressional oversight, dismissed credible reports of abuse, carried out an extreme agenda that tears families apart and destabilizes communities.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
Catherine uplifted us in a world that often tears us down.
—Andrew Gelwicks, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
Wielding his powers, Simon tears the cell bars away.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
But this time there were no Luka Doncic tears.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears
Noun
-
Its large leaves develop holes and slits that have earned it the name Swiss cheese plant.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The comfy frock is midi-length, features subtle side slits, and is made from a lightweight, stretchy material.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Of course, Wallace already rips the ball away from dribblers more than anyone else.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Continue reading … ROBES RIVALRY — Liberal justice Elena Kagan rips colleague Jackson's dissent in rare public break.—
,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As Detective Maden takes the wine bottle from him and the officers reach for his wrists, Brown resists and yanks his arms back, the video shows.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Leaphorn yanks the jug his way (despite being cuffed) and is able to put the filter packet down his pants.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Clarke excelled laying his body on the line to thwart shot attempts and foil odd-man rushes while remaining the Kings’ most mobile defender and their best rearguard by far with the puck.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Bain rushes the passer with bad intentions, which covers for his shorter-than-desired arm length (30 7/8 inches) for his position.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Midway through the project, deep scratches began appearing, and after inspections attributed the issue to environmental factors, the outcome seemed settled at a full loss.—
Alexandria Mansfield,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Heavy-duty abrasive sponges can leave visible scratches and dull finishes on appliances.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Keep those rosary beads handy whenever Aaron Gordon grabs his hammy.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Maya Hawke grabs her guitar and gets in front of the mic at the SiriusXM Studios in New York City on April 13.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With the support of his wife Chiyoho (Yoshitaka), Murashige races to uncover the truth before the castle falls.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Some Senate races in what should be Republican strongholds are suddenly looking tighter that expected.—
Nancy Cook,
Bloomberg,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This heat then speeds up the reactions, creating even more heat in a vicious cycle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In Michigan City along the lakefront, a new second track speeds up travel time to Chicago, and plans call for a $300 million luxury hotel and townhouse development to transform the city into a commuter and tourist destination.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tears. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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