torn

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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of torn Indigo stands at the crossroads of a denim industry torn between preserving its heritage and embracing the future. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025 At the outset of the novel, fellowship within the house of Karamazov has been torn to shreds. Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025 After missing parts of the past two seasons with a torn Achilles and torn ACL, Phillips has two sacks and two tackles for loss in seven games, well off his career averages. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025 Kittle who said Thursday his hamstring was torn in the opener, will play with no snap count restriction. Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025 He’s physically torn between love and death, marveling at the soul-crushing power of both. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025 We are torn between celebrating these incredible acts and crying for the state of our country. The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025 But the financial assistance for Argentina, structured in the form of a currency swap, has torn at the president’s MAGA support and frustrated business groups that noted Argentina, an agricultural rival, sold shipments of soybeans to China as talk of a bailout became public. David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2025 Olympia is clearly torn about the situation, and almost confesses to Matty, but her fear that Julian's crimes could ruin the lives of their children keeps her mouth shut and her mind focused on exposing Senior. Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn
Verb
  • Mookie Betts ripped a double in the next at-bat and the Dodgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Inside the car, the rear bench has been ripped out so that reclining sport-style seats with Pepita inserts could be installed.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Two of them were on the doors of a reach-in cooler on the expo line and were grabbed by the manager.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • MacDonald grabbed a knife from the kitchen and threatened to kill himself, cutting at his throat, prosecutors said.
    Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Four additional rounds were heard as the vehicle sped past South 76th Street and in the 7800 block of West Lapham Street, with speeds exceeding 80 mph.
    Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Police are following up on reports that a truck and a car sped away.
    Jennifer Edwards Baker, Fox 19 Cincinnati, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The play where DeMario Douglas zig-zagged through a sad-sack Saints secondary for a touchdown, then returned to the sideline and got yanked back with the rest of the offense.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • In the video, the security guard who leaped into the crowd at the man who yanked at Eilish appeared to be thrown backward by him.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Gators raced out to a 13-7 lead against the Bulldogs after two quarters, but fans were not pacified by the product on the field.
    Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Rudy and Amanda raced to Ocean Reef, where Rudy was told Katy was being transported.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The prison industry is being rapidly expanded, and people, many of whom are immigrants, are literally being snatched off the street.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
  • An emerald necklace and earrings from the matching set of Empress Marie-Louise were also reportedly snatched alongside a reliquary brooch, Empress Eugénie’s diadem and her large corsage-bow brooch.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The move comes as disruptions in travel due to weather events, health advisories, and changing plans have driven demand for more comprehensive risk mitigation.
    Ben Kelly, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • So her aberrant behavior was anxiety-driven?
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The defendants have pulled every procedural lever to avoid being held responsible for their egregious actions.
    Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Alas, Israel has not pulled the trigger there, either, likely due in part to geopolitical instability — the MDSC would require construction in the West Bank.
    Big Think, Big Think, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Torn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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