torn

American  

[tawrn, tohrn] / tɔrn, toʊrn /

verb

1. past participle of tear.

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torn British  

/ tɔːn /

verb

1. the past participle of tear 1

2. slang an unexpected event or circumstance has upset one's plans

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adjective

1. split or cut

2. divided or undecided, as in preference

   he was torn between staying and leaving

Other Word Forms

• untorn adjective

Explanation

Torn things have been pulled apart or ripped. Things can be literally torn, like a torn piece of paper, or figuratively torn — like your torn heart when you have to take sides in a family feud. You can serve a salad full of torn lettuce leaves, or mend a stuffed animal with a torn ear. In both cases, something has been divided by force, or pulled apart. It's also possible to be emotionally torn, or conflicted between two choices, options, or people: "I'm torn between going to the party or staying home and reading my library book." Either way, torn things are difficult (and sometimes impossible) to repair.

Example Sentences

Looking a little bit more closely, you realize that the monument is all but torn in two by the San Andreas fault.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“At the same time as architectural homes are being marketed as high-end, collectible art, others are being torn down to build new,” midcentury modern architecture expert Adriene Biondo said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Augusta is coming, and Woods said he hoped to play the major he’s won five times, if his body would let him, a massive if after a torn Achilles and back surgery last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

I’ve had sports injuries over the years, and it felt like that—a torn ligament, maybe.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

There’s also an empty plastic water bottle and torn food wrappers on the bedside table.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• broken
• cracked
• damaged
• divided
• mangled
• ripped
• ruptured
• severed