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.

“It’s time to tear it down and move forward.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

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

“The Rat Race” is a nod at Carrie’s discovery that her courtyard’s garden is infested with vermin, forcing her to tear it out and start over.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 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

I rip the winged leopard out of the sketch pad and tear it up.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

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