Definition of tear - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
cryingdrop of liquid from the eyes
- Tears rolled down her cheeks.
2.
damagehole or break in material
- There was a tear in the curtain.
3.
liquidshape like a drop
- The pendant was in the shape of a tear.
4.
rushhurried or violent action
- He went on a tear through the city.
Verb
1.
destructiontr./intr. pull apart or to pieces with forcetr./intr.
- She decided to tear the letter in frustration..
2.
bodytr. injure by pulling or cutting the skintr.
- He accidentally tore his skin on the branch.
3.
movementintr. move quickly and with great energyintr.
- The car tore down the street.
4.
damageintr. become torn accidentallyintr.
- The old flag began to tear in the wind.
5.
emotiontr. cause emotional pain or distresstr.
- The news tore at her heart.
6.
biologyintr. produce tears from the eyesintr.
- Her eyes began to tear from the cold wind.
Images of tear
drop of liquid from the eyes 
hole or break in material 
shape like a drop
Expressions with tear
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
destroy something by pulling it into pieces
The child can tear apart the paper easily.
pull or rip something with force
The dog began to tear at the cushion.
remove something quickly and forcefully
He had to tear away the old wallpaper before painting..
demolish a building or structure completely
They decided to tear down the old stadium.
rip something into pieces
She decided to tear it up and start over.
remove quickly by pulling
She decided to tear off the bandage in one swift motion..
remove something quickly and forcefully
He decided to tear out the old carpeting in his house..
rip something into smaller parts
The dog will tear the toy to pieces.
rip something into small pieces
She decided to tear up the old letter.
damage from normal use
The sofa showed signs of wear and tear after five years..
become detached with force or effort
The poster began to tear loose from the wall.
move quickly and forcefully through something
The car tore through the narrow streets.
criticize someone very harshly
The critics tore the movie to shreds.
move quickly past something or someone
The car tore past the traffic light.
acting with intense energy or enthusiasm
She was on a tear, cleaning the entire house in just a few hours.
cry lightly or briefly
She couldn't help but shed a tear during the sad movie..
speak to someone very angrily for doing something wrong
The coach tore a strip off the team after the loss.
move quickly along a path or route
The car began to tear along the highway.
argue intensely causing emotional harm
The couple tore each other apart during the argument.
cause someone emotional distress
The breakup seemed to tear him apart.
criticize someone harshly and aggressively
The coach tore into the team after the loss.
show extreme frustration or pull at hair in distress
He would tear his hair out over every minor delay in the project.
feel intense emotional conflict or distress
She would tear herself apart over every little mistake.
rip something into small pieces
The dog tore the pillow to ribbons.
Origin of tear
Old English, teran (to tear)
Terms with tear included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
action
tear or pull apart quickly
damage
tear or cut in paper or fabric
language
past tense of tear, to make an opening
damage
long crack or tear in something
action
scratch or tear with claws or nails
movement
scratch or tear something with claws or fingernails
cutting
cut or tear into long narrow pieces
tear
crying with gasps and making loud sad sounds
time
wear and tear over time
physical destruction
tear something apart into many small pieces
physical destruction
tear apart until only shreds remain
action
tear something into small pieces
destruction
tear something into small pieces
material tear
caught on something sharp or rough
movement
past tense of tear, to move quickly
wear and tear
damage by friction until a hole forms
removable
easy to tear off or remove
damage with claws
tear something into many pieces using claws
destruction
tear something into small pieces
damaged clothing
tights with a long tear or run in the fabric
medical
tear in soft tissue like a muscle
clothing
catch or tear fabric on a rough surface
medical
injury where ankle ligaments stretch or tear after twisting movement
back injury
painful bulge or tear of an intervertebral cushion
Examples of tear in a sentence
She wiped away a tear with her sleeve. The jeans had a tear at the knee. He noticed a tear in the book's cover. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The sculpture was adorned with a tear of glass. She went on a shopping tear last weekend.
The team was on a tear, winning every match. The wind caused the flag to tear. He watched the paper tear easily. She tore the skin on her knee during the fall. Be careful not to tear your hand on the wire. The athlete tore across the finish line with determination. Kids tear through the playground during recess. The paper may tear if you pull it too hard. Her sleeve tore on a rusty fence. The sad movie tore at his emotions. Her words tore at his soul. He started to tear up during the sad movie. Allergies can cause your eyes to tear.
View all translations of tear
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:larme, déchirer, ...
- German:Träne, zerreißen, ...
- Italian:lacrima, lacerare, ...
- Spanish:lágrima, rasgar, ...
- Portuguese:lágrima, rasgar, ...
- Chinese:泪水, 撕裂, ...
- Japanese:涙, 引き裂く, ...
- Arabic:دَمْعَة, مَزَّقَ, ...
- Hebrew:דִּמְעָה, לִקְרוֹעַ, ...
- Russian:слеза, рвать, ...
- Ukrainian:сльоза, рвати, ...
- Hindi:आँसू, फाड़ना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the