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.
This legendary racer tore up America’s racetracks for over four decades, taking three major championships and a multitude of first-place finishes. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 16 Dec. 2024 Ariana Grande and Drew Barrymore praised each other during the December 5 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, ultimately both tearing up. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024 Though the clip stops short of revealing any details surrounding his medical scare, one scene shows Foxx tearing up. Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2024 The Wicked press tour seems to have been a long, strange journey for Grande and Erivo, as the two have sparked many viral moments, both delivering strange soundbites and tearing up at the slightest provocation. Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near tear up

Cite this Entry

“Tear up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tear%20up. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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