tear up

verb

tore up; torn up; tearing up; tears up

transitive verb

1
: to damage, remove, or effect an opening in
tore up the street to lay a new water main
2
: to perform or compete with great success on, in, or against
couples tearing up the dance floor
a batter who's tearing up the league

Examples of tear up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
March is going along swimmingly and then USC’s JuJu Watkins tears up her knee. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025 Nothing in his earlier ruling contemplated tearing up the guilty plea altogether or not hiring an independent monitor. Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2025 Fresh off her first-ever Fashion Month appearances—front row at Gucci and Valentino and, more importantly, tearing up the dance floor at the after-parties—Posey is fully on board with Printemps’ experiential, European approach. Freya Drohan, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025 Justin Rose got emotional during his battle at The Open, tearing up. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear up

Word History

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tear up was in 1620

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Cite this Entry

“Tear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20up. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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