tear apart

Meaning

To pull something violently into pieces, or metaphorically, to cause severe emotional pain, division, or conflict within a group, relationship, or family.

Examples

• The puppy managed to tear apart my favorite pair of leather shoes.

  The puppy managed to tear apart my favorite pair of leather shoes.

• It tears me apart to see my best friend going through such a difficult time.

  It tears me apart to see my best friend going through such a difficult time.

• Arguments about money can easily tear a family apart.

  Arguments about money can easily tear a family apart.

• The critics decided to tear apart the director's new movie in their reviews.

  The critics decided to tear apart the director's new movie in their reviews.

• War has the power to tear apart entire communities.

  War has the power to tear apart entire communities.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The dog tore up apart the paper.

  ✓ The dog tore apart the paper.

  Do not combine 'tore up' and 'tore apart'. Use either 'tore up' (shredded) or 'tore apart' (pulled into pieces).

• ✗ It tears apart me to watch this.

  ✓ It tears me apart to watch this.

  When using 'tear apart' with a pronoun object like 'me' or 'them', the pronoun must go between 'tear' and 'apart'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The sad news is going to ___ her ___ when she finds out.

  💡 Cause severe emotional distress (split the verb around the pronoun).

  Show answer

  tear apart

• Don't let a simple misunderstanding ___ our friendship ___.

  💡 Destroy or divide a relationship.

  Show answer

  tear apart