1
as in ripped
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
angrily tore the letter to shreds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in yanked
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in raced
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 tore
Fudd first tore her right ACL and MCL in April 2019 at a USA Basketball event and then tore the same ACL and her medial meniscus during a UConn practice in November 2023.
—
Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 13 May 2026
As bullets tore through at least a dozen cars, including a state police cruiser, panicked motorists abandoned their vehicles or hid under them for cover, according to prosecutors and state police.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
An investigation is underway in Pompano Beach after an early morning fire tore through a quadruplex that displaced six people and injured two people, officials say.
—Marybel Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
The afternoon blaze tore through a five-story building on Bainbridge Avenue .
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
At a half-mile wide, the F4 twister tore through the community, destroying more than 80% of it.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Kancey, 25, tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston and missed most of last season.
—Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
As terror and confusion tore through the small community about 30 miles north of New Orleans, and Sharp’s family and friends tried to make sense of the brutal slaying, detectives worked tirelessly to find her killer — or killers.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Raridon only produced in one season at Notre Dame and tore the same ACL twice in high school and as a freshman in college.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 13 May 2026
As bullets tore through at least a dozen cars, including a state police cruiser, panicked motorists abandoned their vehicles or hid under them for cover, according to prosecutors and state police.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
An investigation is underway in Pompano Beach after an early morning fire tore through a quadruplex that displaced six people and injured two people, officials say.
—Marybel Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
The afternoon blaze tore through a five-story building on Bainbridge Avenue .
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
At a half-mile wide, the F4 twister tore through the community, destroying more than 80% of it.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Kancey, 25, tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 2 win at Houston and missed most of last season.
—Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
As terror and confusion tore through the small community about 30 miles north of New Orleans, and Sharp’s family and friends tried to make sense of the brutal slaying, detectives worked tirelessly to find her killer — or killers.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Raridon only produced in one season at Notre Dame and tore the same ACL twice in high school and as a freshman in college.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tore
Verb
-
Meanwhile, male athletes get ripped to shreds 24/7 on television, radio, podcasts and social media without anyone questioning whether the existence of criticism itself is harmful to the sport.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Ensure the item is in working condition and not damaged, broken, or ripped.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The two police officers who responded found a short, stocky man in the backyard and an aluminum shed with its door yanked off.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
During the scuffle, the victim’s gold chain was yanked from his neck.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Lee became the first Giants hitter to be credited with one against the Dodgers since 1981, when Larry Herndon raced around the bases against Fernando Valenzuela at Candlestick Park.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The sound was moving, and Larry raced for our plane and turned on the emergency transmitter.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Young grabbed onto Elijah’s hair to try to hang onto the moment.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Henley wrenched away from her mother's grip, turned, and darted up the stairs again, leaving Emily and Kate in startled silence.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
As the plane twisted upward, the air pressure wrenched off another tail fin.—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sam El-Said and his wife were riding scooters after a date night along the boardwalk when a swarm of several dozen teenagers on e-bikes sped by them.—
Rina Nakano,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
The scaled down and sped up microhubs that are designed to handle 30-minute orders represent another step in Amazon’s pursuit.—
Anne D’Innocenzio,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The dogs, including newborn puppies, were pulled to safety by the Brandywine Valley SPCA rescue team.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
The war pulled the Bureau away from these efforts, but once peace returned, Kline and his scientists had gone back to work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Wittorp scurried over to a curtained side entrance.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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After Malik closed out the fundraiser with a stump speech calling for taxing the rich, Johnson drove off in a black Porsche Cayenne, and a plump rat scurried by the venue’s entrance.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tore. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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