tear it

Idioms

Ruin something, spoil one's chances, as in She knew she'd torn it when she lost the address. It is often put as that tears it, as in He's a whole week late—well, that tears it for the September issue. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

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.

Their latest attempt to rectify that situation with Justin Fields has gone so disastrously that general manager Darren Mougey, in his first year in charge, felt compelled to tear it all down.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

Don’t overthink it — tear it open and let it fall into the tomato, the creamy stracciatella spilling into every crevice.

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2025

"It's not realistic to think you can repair it. You'd have to tear it up and start over."

From BBC • May 5, 2025

“The city attorney said they’re not dropping the criminal case. It’s either get all these permits or tear it down completely.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

Ferris, himself fed up with construction delays and Burnham’s pestering, had told Gronau to turn the wheel or tear it off the tower.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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