to pieces

Idioms

Into fragments, disorganized, or confused, as in I tore his argument to pieces. This metaphoric term has been so used since about 1600. Also see go to pieces; pick apart (to pieces); thrill to pieces.

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.

The Italian word “notturno,” Ms. Tomes acknowledges, had been applied to pieces of music from the 18th century, but these were usually “festive and extrovert.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

"Your heart is blown to pieces but do you still need to eat dinner and go to work so I'm not stylistically chasing silence, just representing the truth of it."

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Protesters pulled down a large flag of the Islamic Republic and tore it to pieces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

"But others came out looking as if a child had simply torn them to pieces."

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025

My gut knows it too, because now I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks and I'm about to fall to pieces.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

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