tears, tore, torn, tearing
to tear up
phrasal verb
To destroy something by ripping it into pieces
- 1She tore up the letter after reading it.
- 2He tore up the contract in anger.
When you tear up something, you rip it apart into small pieces. It's like when you tear a piece of paper into tiny bits. It's a way of destroying something by pulling it apart.
Remember, tearing up something is usually done with your hands or by force. It's not the same as cutting with scissors or a knife. So, if you want to tear up a piece of paper, use your hands!
at a bookstore
The Unwanted Flyer
Joshua
I can't believe they gave me another flyer for the event I can't attend.
Lisa
Why don't you just tear it up and throw it away?
Joshua
Good idea, it's just cluttering my bag.
Lisa
Exactly, no need to keep what you don't need.
in a school setting
The Ruined Homework
Jeffrey
I can't believe I accidentally tore up my homework last night.
Jennifer
Oh no, that's frustrating! Did you have a backup?
Jeffrey
Unfortunately, no. I'll have to redo the whole thing.
Jennifer
Well, if you need help, let me know. I can assist you during lunch.
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Similar to "to tear up":
- 1rip up
- 2shred