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
On Sunday, an MRI confirmed Wagner had torn an ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
—
Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
This could put accreditors and colleges in potentially challenging positions, torn between their commitment to academic independence and their survival.
—Meg Little Reilly, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Tellingly, in the upper right-hand corner, Ruscha added a cheap Western cowboy magazine, its rowdy narrative of American manifest destiny having been torn in two.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
There’s a lot of hacking and hewing in mysticism, that the self is something that has to be kind of torn apart, torn open.
—Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Dec. 2024
The tarpaulin serving as a roof on Younis’ tent is now torn, allowing water in.
—Abeer Salman, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
Look for signs of tampering, such as the wrapping being torn or resealed or stickers placed over the barcode or card number.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
Place torn bread inside baking dish and in a large saucepan whisk in 2 cups Holiday Nog, cinnamon and salt.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
As a result of the explosion, the legs of the Russian captain were torn off.
—Artem Grudinin, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
This could put accreditors and colleges in potentially challenging positions, torn between their commitment to academic independence and their survival.
—Meg Little Reilly, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Tellingly, in the upper right-hand corner, Ruscha added a cheap Western cowboy magazine, its rowdy narrative of American manifest destiny having been torn in two.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
There’s a lot of hacking and hewing in mysticism, that the self is something that has to be kind of torn apart, torn open.
—Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Dec. 2024
The tarpaulin serving as a roof on Younis’ tent is now torn, allowing water in.
—Abeer Salman, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
Look for signs of tampering, such as the wrapping being torn or resealed or stickers placed over the barcode or card number.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
Place torn bread inside baking dish and in a large saucepan whisk in 2 cups Holiday Nog, cinnamon and salt.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
As a result of the explosion, the legs of the Russian captain were torn off.
—Artem Grudinin, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torn
Verb
-
But the Hawks’ present-day problems ripped them right back into the here and now.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Jan. 2025
-
Milton’s hurricane-force winds ripped trees from already soggy soils, but its historic rain also flooded neighborhoods that had never experienced waters so high.—
Jack Prator,
Orlando Sentinel,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The attacker then grabbed around $10 out of the victim’s pockets before fleeing on foot.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2025
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The victim told cops the suspect grabbed her from behind, put her in a bear hug, and grinded against her before escaping down the street.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Coming off a September collapse driven by faulty starting pitching, the Mets made the big swing for Santana in early February 2008.—
Tim Britton,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Toyota’s famous kaizen methodology—continuous improvement driven by employee feedback—demonstrates how internal focus can lead to sustained innovation.—
Mark Nevins,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
My wanting was the leash that pulled me through my life.—
Max Ufberg,
hazlitt.net,
4 Jan. 2025
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But David kept fighting and pulled fire away from landing Medevac helicopters, getting evacuated himself after the last helicopter landed.—
JOSH BOAK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Fox immediately jumped back in on the top power-play unit.—
Peter Baugh,
The Athletic,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Migrant apprehensions jumped by 57% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, along the San Diego border — from 216,955 to 341,580, according to Customs and Border Protection data.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Tippett aggressively zipped over to Sillinger and laid him out, upending the young center before making his way to the bench for a line change.—
Kevin Kurz,
The Athletic,
22 Dec. 2024
-
And the quarter-zip top can be zipped all the way up to protect your neck from the elements.—
Nicol Natale,
People.com,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
After realizing the mother of three was awake, the intruder immediately bolted out out of the room.—
Vivian Kwarm,
New York Daily News,
17 Dec. 2024
-
An overdose episode — Kiana bolted barefoot from their rural home and went missing overnight in the woods — brought police attention and led to charges for child endangerment.—
John Branch,
New York Times,
24 Nov. 2024
Verb
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What's New The man who rammed a car into the crowd at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening, killing at least five people, has been remanded in custody.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
Newsweek,
22 Dec. 2024
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According to recent reporting, a cargo ship rammed into a lock gate on the Moselle River, creating a traffic standstill that could last months—a dire situation reminiscent of the blockage in the Suez Canal.—
Sin To,
Forbes,
16 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Torn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torn. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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