tear away

British  

/ tɛə /

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to persuade (oneself or someone else) to leave

   I couldn't tear myself away from the television

---

noun

1. 1. a reckless impetuous unruly person

   2. ( as modifier )

      a tearaway young man

tear away Idioms  

1. Remove oneself unwillingly or reluctantly, as in I couldn't tear myself away from that painting. [Late 1700s]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tear away

"All he did was tear away that fragile veil in advance, placing the reality outside the room plainly on the table," one Xiaohongshu post read after his death.

From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026

A combination of damaged sluice gates and high water might tear away a few gates, but would not be expected to rip apart so much of the dam, the professor said.

From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2023

“You have to use your nails to carefully, gently tear away the pieces,” she said, as she creased a line down the paper with her nails.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2018

"That always seems to tear away a few onion layers," the actor says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2015

His mouth fell open, and he wiped one last tear away before he scrambled to his feet.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake