1 B1 neutral
To tear something forcefully into pieces.
"The dog got into the rubbish bin and ripped the bags apart."
separable
rip apart
B1 informal separable transitive
To tear something into pieces violently, or to criticise something harshly, or to destroy something emotionally or physically.
In plain English
To tear something into lots of pieces, or to say very mean things about something, or to destroy something completely.
What does "rip apart" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To criticise something or someone very harshly and thoroughly.
"The critics ripped the film apart, calling it a waste of two hours."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To destroy something — a relationship, community, or family — through conflict or grief.
"The custody dispute ripped the family apart."
“
War rips societies apart.
— Widely used journalistic formulation; attested across major newspapers (e.g. The Guardian, BBC News)
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rip something so it comes apart — torn into separate pieces.
Actually means
To tear something into lots of pieces, or to say very mean things about something, or to destroy something completely.
Usage tip
Used both literally (tearing a physical object) and figuratively (harsh criticism, emotional destruction). The figurative uses are very common in informal speech and writing.
Words that pair with "rip apart"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
argument essay relationship family proposal prey
How to conjugate "rip apart"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rip apart
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rips apart
he/she/it
Past simple
riped apart
yesterday
Past participle
riped apart
have + pp
-ing form
riping apart
continuous
Hear "rip apart" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rip apart" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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