1
as in rips
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 yanks
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rushes
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 tears
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s when the tears really came.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Sep. 2025
Charleson played the iconic daytime character for nearly five decades, first stepping into the role in 1977, and the tears being shed for Monica by her closest friends and family members feel all too real.
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 25 Sep. 2025
Fighting back tears, the late-night host thanked not only his fans but also those who don’t support his show yet, who stood up for his right to speak freely.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Following his victory, Krista posted a touching photo of their daughter running in tears to congratulate her dad.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Clearly fighting through tears, Kimmel thanked those who’d supported him during his suspension, including a lengthy roster of fellow comedians.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Given how a new animation style is invented with each installment, there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into these movies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
And Gutfeld didn’t shed any tears for his fellow TV host.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
In this kind of system, scientists theorize that the black hole tears the neutron star apart before swallowing it, which releases electromagnetic waves.
—Chad Hanna, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
But as the war tears at civilian life, Sashi’s four brothers and their friend K are pulled into the conflict.
—Eliana Ramage
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Bad Bunny plays Colorado, the drug ring leader, and Regina King is a crooked NY cop who tears the protagonist’s ordinary life apart.
—Malik Peay, Essence, 27 Aug. 2025
Naomi holds her family together and tears it apart in ways that feel instantly familiar in unsettling or reductive ways.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
In 2019, Roger Federer stood at center court in Basel, Switzerland, with gold confetti raining from above and tears streaming down his face.
—Justin Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That process involves selling a majority of units to a developer who dissolves the condo association, tears the building down and builds new.
—Rebecca Liebson, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Jacob Anderson tears into the undead flesh of the enemies who murdered his daughter, channeling his pain and fury into a series of increasingly gruesome vampiric assassinations.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
For their part, Benjamin’s children aren’t moved to tears in the wake of his death either.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s when the tears really came.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Sep. 2025
Charleson played the iconic daytime character for nearly five decades, first stepping into the role in 1977, and the tears being shed for Monica by her closest friends and family members feel all too real.
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 25 Sep. 2025
Fighting back tears, the late-night host thanked not only his fans but also those who don’t support his show yet, who stood up for his right to speak freely.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Following his victory, Krista posted a touching photo of their daughter running in tears to congratulate her dad.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Clearly fighting through tears, Kimmel thanked those who’d supported him during his suspension, including a lengthy roster of fellow comedians.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Given how a new animation style is invented with each installment, there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into these movies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
And Gutfeld didn’t shed any tears for his fellow TV host.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Achilles tears that the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers suffered during the 2025 playoffs have made the race for the conference wide open this coming season.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
In this kind of system, scientists theorize that the black hole tears the neutron star apart before swallowing it, which releases electromagnetic waves.
—Chad Hanna, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
But as the war tears at civilian life, Sashi’s four brothers and their friend K are pulled into the conflict.
—Eliana Ramage
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Bad Bunny plays Colorado, the drug ring leader, and Regina King is a crooked NY cop who tears the protagonist’s ordinary life apart.
—Malik Peay, Essence, 27 Aug. 2025
Naomi holds her family together and tears it apart in ways that feel instantly familiar in unsettling or reductive ways.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
In 2019, Roger Federer stood at center court in Basel, Switzerland, with gold confetti raining from above and tears streaming down his face.
—Justin Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That process involves selling a majority of units to a developer who dissolves the condo association, tears the building down and builds new.
—Rebecca Liebson, Sun Sentinel, 11 Aug. 2025
Jacob Anderson tears into the undead flesh of the enemies who murdered his daughter, channeling his pain and fury into a series of increasingly gruesome vampiric assassinations.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tears
Noun
-
Place the parchment circle with the slits in it over the apples.—
Staff Author,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The hems are finished with seamed details and side slits.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement Never one to give up, Arisu rips a piece of the grid room’s floor from its moorings and uses it to smash into the screen wall separating him from the outside.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Schumer rips Trump on a near-daily basis on the Senate floor, accusing the president of being a wannabe dictator and serial liar who puts his own interests and even Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interests ahead of what’s best for the United States.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In each Whatever After novel, a magic portal yanks the main character, Abby, out of her comfortable life and thrusts her into another reality.—
Sarah Mlynowski,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Thing rebels against his master and yanks out his clockwork heart.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In shocking footage posted on Facebook, large waves are seen breaking through the glass doors of the lobby as water rushes in and quickly floods the hotel.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The Rams sacked Hurts three times with rushes off Pryor’s side.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Without proper padding and protection, your device risks scratches, dents, or worse, internal damage.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
-
How To Store Your Barware Properly Store your glassware upright or inverted based on your setup, but always use clean, padded or lined shelving to prevent chips and scratches.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The agent then grabs Moreta-Galarza and forces her several feet down the hallway and into a wall.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Jonah grabs Henry's gun and shoots him coldly in the head.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The event takes place after the boat races.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Sep. 2025
-
RDREs use a detonation wave that races around a circular channel, which produces short, high-pressure bursts that drive up thrust and efficiency.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the characters’ dialogue speeds up and their gestures become more fervent, the audience can hear the fast, rhythmic whoosing of the characters’ blood flow and see pulsing human hearts on a large video screen.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Automation speeds up picking, packing, and delivery.—
Kurt Knutsson
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links.,
FOXNews.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tears. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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