tear at
Idioms-
Pull at or attack violently, as in Jane eagerly tore at the wrapping paper , or The dog tore at the meat . [Mid-1800s]
-
Distress, as in Their plight tore at his heart .
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.
I mean even though this is a depressing opera, the music is thrilling and I know I’m going to shed a tear at the end.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025
The study also finds evidence for a vertical fracture, or tear, at the boundary between the peeled-apart section of the slab and its intact neighbor.
From Science Magazine • Jan. 9, 2024
“In addition to endangering particular individuals, disclosures like these tear at the fabric of the proper function of responsible government,” she told reporters in the Treaty Room of the State Department.
From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2023
John didn't tell the cast that Hollywood was in the audience, but he added: "I swear I saw him wipe away a tear at the end".
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2023
Such overwhelming traumas tear at the bonds that hold cultures together.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
