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Synonyms

tore

1 American  
[tawr, tohr] / tɔr, toʊr /

verb

  1. simple past tense of tear.

  2. Nonstandard. a past participle of tear.

tore 2 American  
[tawr, tohr] / tɔr, toʊr /

noun

  1. a torus.

tore 1 British  
/ tɔː /

verb

  1. the past tense of tear 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
tore 2 British  
/ tɔː /

noun

  1. architect another name for torus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tore

< French < Latin torus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He tore down the East Wing to make room for a massive ballroom, and he has submitted plans to build a giant Triumphal Arch.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

That came six months after the 28-year-old's world 1500m title defence in Tokyo was ruined when he tore a calf muscle during the final.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

So sort of, what tore them apart was Rupert, and I think what brought them together was their mutual animus towards Rupert.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

In a minor accident, part of the rear bumper tore loose.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Lady Constance pouted and tore the fallen leaves into strips.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.