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
The Indiana Pacers may have beaten Oklahoma City last season had their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, not torn his Achilles in Game 7.
—
Tony Jones, New York Times, 18 May 2026
In each one, an Oakland naïf—Cassius, Cootie, Corvette—was torn between a seductive capitalist and an inspiring left-wing organizer, one the path to fame and riches, the other to community and revolution.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
The sunshade on her stroller had gotten twisted around its thin chrome bars, reminding me of the pontoon that had been torn off.
—Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
As conditions have grown hotter, the buildup of dense vegetation has fueled extreme fires that have torn through vast stretches of land.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 May 2026
After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel combs the depths of the Vistula River day and night, caught in a grueling, endless routine and torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the fragile hope that his son may still be alive.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Old, dirty, or torn seating cushions are common, but are usually a quick fix—replace them, wash them, or change just the covers.
—Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 4 May 2026
You’re torn between following the herd and breaking from it as the moon and Uranus clash.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Laminating them will help protect them from water damage and from getting crushed or torn.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026
Tony Jones, New York Times, 18 May 2026
In each one, an Oakland naïf—Cassius, Cootie, Corvette—was torn between a seductive capitalist and an inspiring left-wing organizer, one the path to fame and riches, the other to community and revolution.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
The sunshade on her stroller had gotten twisted around its thin chrome bars, reminding me of the pontoon that had been torn off.
—Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
As conditions have grown hotter, the buildup of dense vegetation has fueled extreme fires that have torn through vast stretches of land.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 May 2026
After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel combs the depths of the Vistula River day and night, caught in a grueling, endless routine and torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the fragile hope that his son may still be alive.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Old, dirty, or torn seating cushions are common, but are usually a quick fix—replace them, wash them, or change just the covers.
—Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 4 May 2026
You’re torn between following the herd and breaking from it as the moon and Uranus clash.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Laminating them will help protect them from water damage and from getting crushed or torn.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
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The film has generated the kind of heat that has been missing elsewhere in the Marché this week, and a deal for domestic rights is all but certain (there are rumors A24 has already snatched it up).—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
The vehicles were snatched for being unregistered, uninsured, or having fake or altered license plates, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Mornings are mostly alarm-driven, with early wake-ups for work or to ride her horse.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
-
Government bonds around the world sold off sharply Friday as the price of oil jumped, both driven by an array of geopolitical developments in the Iran war, politics and trade.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
15 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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Torn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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