tear apart
To rip something into pieces, hurt someone deeply inside, or say really bad things about something.
Meanings
To rip something into pieces with force.
"The dog tore the cushion apart within minutes of being left alone."
To cause great emotional pain or distress to someone.
"Watching her parents argue every night was tearing the child apart."
"You're tearing me apart, Lisa!"
— Tommy Wiseau, The Room (2003 film)
To divide or destroy a group, community, or relationship through conflict.
"The bitter dispute over money tore the family apart for years."
To criticise something or someone very severely.
"The reviewers tore his debut novel apart, calling it derivative and dull."
Very common in both physical and emotional/figurative senses. The emotional sense ('it's tearing me apart') is especially frequent in everyday speech and media.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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