tear 1 of 2

noun

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
Definition of tearnext
as in slit
a long deep cut repaired a tear in the theater curtain just before the start of the show

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

tear

2 of 2

verb

ˈter How to pronounce tear (audio)
1
as in to rip
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it angrily tore the letter to shreds

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to yank
to separate or remove by forceful pulling tore the book from his hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to speed
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tear different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of tear are cleave, rend, rip, rive, and split. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

When could cleave be used to replace tear?

In some situations, the words cleave and tear are roughly equivalent. However, cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

When can rend be used instead of tear?

While in some cases nearly identical to tear, rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

In what contexts can rip take the place of tear?

The meanings of rip and tear largely overlap; however, rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When is rive a more appropriate choice than tear?

The words rive and tear can be used in similar contexts, but rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

When would split be a good substitute for tear?

The words split and tear are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, split implies a cutting or breaking apart in a continuous, straight, and usually lengthwise direction or in the direction of grain or layers.

split logs for firewood

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 tear
Noun
While waiting for his name to be called, Diezel, who Braxton shares with ex-husband Keri Lewis, can be seen wiping away tears while wearing his blue graduation regalia. —Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 18 May 2025 Possibly, as Jayson Tatum deals with his Achilles tear. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025
Verb
The show describes itself as a chess tournament between an American and Soviet chess player, as the two also fight over the woman torn between them. —Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025 The picture smacks you with mini-LED punch, deep contrast, and a 144 Hz refresh that keeps Valorant razor-smooth while AMD FreeSync stomps tearing. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tear
  1. slit
  2. rip
  3. yank
  4. speed
  5. scratch
  6. grab
  7. scurry
  8. race
Noun
  • In the video circulated by TMZ, Lovato wore a strapless bridal gown with a dramatic thigh slit while the groom was decked out in a black tuxedo.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 May 2025
  • In 2020, burglars crept into his game-farm, slit open a leather sofa, and disappeared with bundles of undeclared U.S. dollars—leaving the head of state, a Black farmer, both a victim of crime and a symbol of murky governance.
    — Sizwe Mpofu Walsh, Time, 23 May 2025
Definition of slit
Verb
  • Now the Trump administration wants to negate that argument by asserting that to harm an endangered species means only to injure or kill it directly: to rip it out by the roots or blow it away with a shotgun.
    — Emma Marris, The Atlantic, 25 May 2025
  • The Tangipahoa Jail is about 70 miles away from New Orleans, where 10 inmates escaped by ripping a toilet and sink unit from the wall and climbing through a hole on May 16.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Definition of rip
Verb
  • Weekend warriors yank out invasive plants to save L.A. River.
    — Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • This month, officials yanked millions in tax receipts from restaurant sales as well as state marketing support, according to local affiliate ABC4.
    — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 22 May 2025
Definition of yank
Verb
  • Even better news is that advancements are achievable: reducing administrative delays speeds up patient care and removes obstacles.
    — Yusuf Qasim, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • The backers said limiting the scope of environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act would speed up development.
    — Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Definition of speed
Noun
  • Many organisations are using the EU’s framework globally as a benchmark rather than creating their own from scratch.
    — Diana Spehar, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • And so Blomfield, who knows how to code, also tried his hand at vibe coding — both to rejig his blog and to create from scratch a website called Recipe Ninja.
    — John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 May 2025
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • In the morning, the restaurant doubles as a coffee shop where guests can grab drip coffee, fresh juices, and a small selection of hot and cold breakfast options, including the beloved Hawaiian classic, Loco Moco.
    — Jalyn Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2025
  • The colorful bar framed in bright neon lights is on the main concourse, so people walking by can grab a drink and head to the casino or other favorite activity, Allen said.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2025
Definition of grab
Verb
  • In one jump-cut scene, the little girl scurries back to the noodle stop through the market while percussive music plays, bursting with fear and excitement at her new illicit hobby.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2025
  • Monkeys scurry along the branches with surefooted confidence, obscured from below by the brilliant sunlight.
    — Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 13 May 2025
Definition of scurry
Verb
  • Over the past century the price of gold has raced at a 2.2% average annual rate above inflation.
    — William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • With Luke slipping beyond reach, Elyse must race to save him and destroy the source before the company consumes him completely.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Definition of race

Phrases Containing tear

Browse Nearby Words

tea party
tear
tearaway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tear. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on tear

Nglish: Translation of tear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

Is it 'used to' or 'use to'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

And So It Begins: 9 Words for Beginnings

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All