rip apart
phrasal verb
ripped apart; ripping apart; rips apart
1
: to completely destroy (something) by tearing it into pieces
The child ripped the toy apart.
Strong winds had ripped apart many of the little beach bungalows.
—often used figurativelya tragedy/scandal that almost ripped the family apart
2
: to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh or angry way especially by describing weaknesses, flaws, etc.
Critics ripped the author's latest novel apart.
an article that rips apart the mayor's plan
Examples of rip apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That would have ripped apart Netanyahu’s government coalition.
—
Mick Krever, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Hailey Hart and her fiancé Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a twister ripped apart their home Saturday.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
Even the first breakout show of the year—Paradise on Hulu—is all about keeping order in a world ripped apart by nuclear warfare and climate disaster.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2025
The deaths included a man who was killed after a tornado ripped apart his home.
—Bruce Shipkowski, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rip apart
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Mick Krever, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Hailey Hart and her fiancé Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a twister ripped apart their home Saturday.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
Even the first breakout show of the year—Paradise on Hulu—is all about keeping order in a world ripped apart by nuclear warfare and climate disaster.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2025
The deaths included a man who was killed after a tornado ripped apart his home.
—Bruce Shipkowski, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rip apart
Cite this Entry
“Rip apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip%20apart. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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