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Synonyms

tear into

British  
/ tɛə /

verb

  1. informal (intr, preposition) to attack vigorously and damagingly

"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
tear into Idioms  

  1. see rip into.

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.

In their attempt to find a cozy place to rest, bears can destroy insulation, wiring, heating ducts and water and gas lines as they tear into crawl spaces.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

We serve it with a ton of fresh herbs to tear into it and add a freshness.

From Salon • Aug. 20, 2024

We do get to see boss Pep Guardiola tear into the team a couple of times during a winter dip in form, but this is otherwise a story of fraternal harmony.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2024

Kind servers make sure you put on the plastic gloves provided to keep the messiness level of using your hands to tear into all the goodness a manageable one.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2023

Forces seen and unseen stand ready to tear into whatever calm you might feel.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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.