tear up
verb
tore up; torn up; tearing up; tears up
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
High blood sugar levels can end up damaging blood vessels throughout your body that can lead to major issues like kidney problems, retinopathy, stroke, and coronary artery disease, which could be tearing up your heart for real.
—
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
Ben Vereen is shown tearing up talking about the legendary entertainer and daughter of Hollywood royalty, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 26 Nov. 2024
Analysis: Alito is determined to tear up precedent in Trump’s next term.
—Daniel Wine, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
Below, a very large chunk of the EAA is being torn up by backhoes and dump trucks.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear up 
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.
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
Ben Vereen is shown tearing up talking about the legendary entertainer and daughter of Hollywood royalty, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli.
—Marc Malkin, Variety, 26 Nov. 2024
Analysis: Alito is determined to tear up precedent in Trump’s next term.
—Daniel Wine, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
Below, a very large chunk of the EAA is being torn up by backhoes and dump trucks.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tear up
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 16 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share