1 A2 neutral
To remove something by tearing it from the surface or object it is attached to.
"He tore off the price tag before giving her the present."
separable
tear off
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To remove something by tearing it, or to leave or move somewhere very quickly.
In plain English
To rip something off of something else, or to rush off somewhere really fast.
What does "tear off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To leave or move somewhere very quickly.
"As soon as the bell rang, he tore off down the corridor."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rip something so that it separates from what it was attached to.
Actually means
To rip something off of something else, or to rush off somewhere really fast.
Usage tip
The physical sense is very common and transparent. The sense of rushing off quickly ('he tore off down the road') is informal and mostly British.
Words that pair with "tear off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
label wrapper coupon strip ticket corner
How to conjugate "tear off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tear off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
tears off
he/she/it
Past simple
tore off
yesterday
Past participle
torn off
have + pp
-ing form
tearing off
continuous
Hear "tear off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tear off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "tear off"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.