tear apart

Verb

tear apart (third-person singular simple present tears apart, present participle tearing apart, simple past tore apart, past participle torn apart)

1. (transitive) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see tear, apart.
   • She tore her ex-boyfriend’s clothes apart in fury.
2. (transitive) To destroy.
   • The bomb tore apart most of the town hall.
   • Johnny: You are lying! I never hit you! You are tearing me apart, Lisa!2003, The Room
3. (transitive) To cause to separate suddenly or violently.
   • Love, love will tear us apart again1979, Joy Division, “Love Will Tear Us Apart”

   Synonyms:

   rive

4. (figuratively, transitive) To defeat overwhelmingly.
   • But Celtic could smell blood and they tore the Reds apart in the 12th minute.2011 February 1, Keir Murray, “Aberdeen 0 - 3 Celtic”, in BBC
   • That never looked likely and, to the Terriers' credit, they fought hard and defended well at times against a City side capable of tearing apart almost any team at any level.2024 January 7, Gary Rose, “Manchester City 5-0 Huddersfield Town”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms:

   take apart