Synonyms of torn

torn

verb

past participle of tear

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

• ripped
• shredded
• tattered
• riven
• broken
• rent
• split
• cut
• ruptured
• ribboned
• cleaved
• slashed
• lacerated
• mangled
• dissected
• incised
• gashed
• dismembered
• butchered
• hacked

2

as in grabbed

to separate or remove by forceful pulling

tore the book from his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ripped
• grabbed
• yanked
• snatched
• pulled
• wrenched
• extracted
• severed
• wrested
• cut (off)
• seized
• snapped (up)
• amputated
• forced
• uprooted
• jerked
• pried
• dissevered
• lopped (off)
• nabbed
• prized
• nipped
• rooted (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reattached

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

• sped
• raced
• driven
• flown
• rushed
• jumped
• hurried
• trotted
• zipped
• buzzed
• scurried
• bolted
• rammed
• blown
• run
• ripped
• scooted
• stepped
• darted
• chased
• dashed
• traveled
• blasted
• scuttled
• hurled
• jogged
• whirled
• rustled
• cracked (on)
• bundled
• hastened
• hurtled
• whisked
• blazed
• pelted
• zoomed
• bustled
• careened
• hustled
• humped
• nipped
• coursed
• hied
• bowled
• belted
• barreled
• motored
• rocketed
• shot
• stepped on it
• breezed
• careered
• beaten it
• jetted
• bombed
• hared
• made tracks
• highballed
• cannonballed
• hotfooted (it)
• got a move on
• shaken a leg
• streaked
• flitted
• scampered
• scudded
• scuffled
• beetled
• sprinted
• whizzed
• stampeded
• accelerated
• galloped
• overtaken
• quickened
• stepped out
• outstripped
• outpaced
• outrun
• caught up
• arrowed
• beelined
• fast-forwarded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dragged
• crawled
• poked
• crept
• lingered
• hung (around or out)
• lagged
• poked
• shuffled
• strolled
• loitered
• sauntered
• ambled
• tarried
• dallied
• slowed (down or up)
• lumbered
• plodded
• dawdled
• decelerated
• dillydallied

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of torn

The common bonds that held the fabric of society together have been torn to shreds and sewn together into robes that adorn the would-be benevolent dictators of culture who explain everything, apologize for nothing and lend their credibility to anyone willing to pay their fee. —Bruce Stockler, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026

Maybe you’re tempted to splurge on something or invest time in a passion project, but you’re torn between accountability and pleasure. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

Back-to-back torn ACLs in his first two seasons muddy the waters of what Overshown’s true potential looks like, but a big 2026 season could put him right back in a favorable situation. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026

Six years ago in the spring, as COVID-19 cases grew in distant China, Britain was torn between sealing the country off and letting daily life continue its restless hum. —Vincent Ni, NPR, 1 Apr. 2026

Curry has been recovering from a knee issue for weeks with no official return date yet, and Moody just recently suffered a gruesome season-ending torn left patellar tendon last week. —Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026

The story follows a young man torn between two women — one virtuous and one not so virtuous, whose powerful attraction takes hold of him. —Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026

But backers have yet to attract a factory, leaving a township torn by distrust and lawmakers demanding answers. —CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Things are kept mostly under wraps in this trailer, which spotlights the family vibe and the gnawing concern that something isn’t right, alongside jarring footage of a suburban street torn asunder. —William Earl, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026