1
as in tearing
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
the dog ripped the sleeve of my shirt by grabbing it with his teeth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in slicing
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife)
you can see where someone ripped the painting with a penknife
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rushing
to proceed or move quickly
the car went ripping down the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in yanking
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
rip a sheet off the pad of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ripping
The mayor called on ICE agents to leave the city, asserting that federal immigration authorities were ripping families apart and sowing chaos on Minneapolis streets.
—
Juliana Kim, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
When Miller tried to grab the mother’s gun, Adams tried to pull him away from it, ripping Miller’s shirt.
—Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
One of the men is accused of walking behind the victim, ripping the chain off his neck and running.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2026
Homeowners began ripping it down, dealing with the price tag-like paper that left glue everywhere.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Campbell hit the streets, ripping town maps out of the Yellow Pages and walking door to door to talk with people.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
Cihla remembers Fetzer and his penchant for ripping into customers who asked the wrong questions and pulled out their cellphones, according to a 2019 Journal Sentinel article.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
This is perfect for emergency organic kale runs or ripping around backcountry carvers with four giggling friends (or, in this author’s case, one friend and three ebullient toddlers in car seats).
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2025
Authorities said the inmates fled through a hole in a cell wall after ripping away a toilet and sink unit on the morning of May 16.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripping
Verb
-
Suddenly, there’s dozens of supervillains tearing the place (and each other) apart.—
-
Kraft was on pace to have an even stronger year in 2025, having already logged 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games before tearing his ACL.—
Verb
-
Hurricane Milton also opened Milton Pass, slicing Stump Pass Beach State Park in half and destabilizing nearby barrier islands, which could lead to worsening beach erosion.—
-
Letting that beautiful pie set up before slicing into it.—
Verb
-
The rushing defense is one of the worst in the league.—
-
Most of the time, our road crews have us up and running by the next day, so rushing for a winter storm seems sort of silly.—
Verb
-
Therefore Primate and its promising central character turns more into a typical slasher flick, repeatedly knocking off the swimsuit-wearing teens one by one, his specialty being yanking out jaws and other bloody grossouts.—
-
Keep the movement coming from your ribs, rotating, not by yanking your neck.—
Verb
-
When Rochelle Luna, 18, arrived at the house hours later, Djerf bound, gagged and raped her before stabbing her and slitting her throat, court records said.—
Verb
-
Hall was in net when Boston's Bobby Orr scored in overtime to win the Cup for the Bruins in 1970, a goal that's among the most famous in hockey history because of the flying through the air celebration that followed.—
-
While some travelers praise the trend for reducing stress and avoiding baggage fees, others say flying without bags is unrealistic for longer trips or work travel.—
Verb
-
Take after the actress by grabbing them in black, or choose from six additional colors, including burgundy and deep brown.—
-
Healthy cooking often boils down to accessibility and convenience; busy lives can leave people grabbing less nutritious alternatives.—
Verb
-
Cut spending by slashing state programs?—
-
These include terminating or suspending contracts with private providers and slashing supplemental aid previously available to foster families.—
Cite this Entry
“Ripping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripping. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share