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
Relevance
2
as in grabbed
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sped
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 torn
Here’s King from this afternoon saying he was torn over it.
—
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Hill will miss the season after sustaining a dislocated knee and torn ACL in Monday’s 27-21 win against the Jets.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
The original poster continues to weigh her options, torn between maintaining peace and standing her ground.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
Be gentle while cleaning as screens are easily torn, punctured, or pulled loose.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
The world of customer-service sketch TikTok has been torn asunder after it was discovered that Hannah Brown (not that Hannah Brown) attended Kirk’s memorial service.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025
Alma is torn between her loyalty to Hank and believing Maggie, all while her own dark secrets threaten to bubble to the surface.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
The list of productive running backs who’ve returned from an Achilles tear — much less torn every lateral ligament in their knees multiple times — is miniscule.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Hill will miss the season after sustaining a dislocated knee and torn ACL in Monday’s 27-21 win against the Jets.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
The original poster continues to weigh her options, torn between maintaining peace and standing her ground.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
Be gentle while cleaning as screens are easily torn, punctured, or pulled loose.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
The world of customer-service sketch TikTok has been torn asunder after it was discovered that Hannah Brown (not that Hannah Brown) attended Kirk’s memorial service.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025
Alma is torn between her loyalty to Hank and believing Maggie, all while her own dark secrets threaten to bubble to the surface.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
The list of productive running backs who’ve returned from an Achilles tear — much less torn every lateral ligament in their knees multiple times — is miniscule.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn
Verb
-
There, twice a month, the Michigan Rocky Horror Preservation Society holds court, its members arrayed in corsets, feather boas, ripped jeans and lovingly detailed costumes that evoke their favorite movie's main characters.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
27 Sep. 2025
-
And be prepared to strap into your breezy ripped jeans for the foreseeable.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In front of reporters, the agent grabbed the crying woman by the arms before shoving her to the wall and then downward.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
According to the complaint filed by detectives, Dials grabbed a handgun that belonged to Sean Perrin, 31, off the bedroom floor, placing it between the mattress and the wall before the two went to bed, the Dispatch reported.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In that instance, offensive guard Daniel Brunskill missed on a block of Bills defensive lineman Deone Walker that sped up Tagovailoa’s throw to Jaylen Waddle, which linebacker Terrel Bernard stepped in front of, pulling down a turnover in the game’s final three minutes while Miami trailed 28-21.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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Only nine of those 32 years were profitable on a division-wide basis, the two most recent being in 2016-17 and 2017-18 and coming as a result of that huge 2016-19 TV rights deal, as massive revenue increases sped past cost growth.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
We too were yanked out of our comfortable lives and thrust into another reality.—
Sarah Mlynowski,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
An engineer recently wrapped a chain around a humanoid robot’s neck and violently yanked it.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Crystal Palace manager raced down the touchline, both fists pumping, before joining a group hug with his coaching staff.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Jarren Duran lined a low single through the left side of the infielder, and Eaton raced home.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The prospect of shooting those tapes is a lot more chilling to me — or at least a lot more palpable — than the idea of my kids getting snatched by a neighbor on Halloween night, and Perry makes the most of it without completely unbalancing the rest of this otherwise fun-loving omnibus.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
1 Oct. 2025
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Both cars washed up the track; Elliott committed to the bottom, cleared them, and snatched the win - and with it, an automatic berth into the next Playoff round.—
Alex Harrington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The student then got into a car driven by a second student and the two fled, the university said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
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In the first minutes, after the group of influencers, athletes, models, podcasters and actors are driven into the the desert in Morocco, their military manhandlers storm the bus and put black hoods over the heads, marching them into the unknown.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kimmel pulled a copy out from behind his desk to show it to the audience.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
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And more than a few people think that Elektra pulled the plug from pressure from Ric and Elliot Roberts.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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