# tear

> English word · Verb · IPA /tɛə/ · frequency rank #3,985

## Definitions
1. To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
2. To injure as if by pulling apart.
3. To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
4. To make (an opening) with force or energy.
5. To remove by tearing, or with sudden great force.
6. To demolish.
7. To become torn, especially accidentally.
8. To move or act with great speed, energy, or violence.
9. To smash or enter something with great force.
10. To be interrupted midway through.

## Etymology
From Middle English teren, from Old English teran (“to tear, lacerate”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear, tear apart, rip”), from Proto-Indo-European *der- (“to tear, tear apart”).
Cognate with Scots tere, teir, tair (“to rend, lacerate, wound, rip, tear out”), Dutch teren (“to eliminate, efface, live, survive by consumption”), German zehren (“to consume, misuse”), German zerren (“to tug, rip, tear”), Danish tære (“to consume”), Swedish tära (“to fret, consume, deplete, use up”), Icelandic tæra (“to clear, corrode”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Ancient Greek δέρω (dérō, “to skin”), Albanian ther (“to slay, skin, pierce”). Doublet of tire.

## Easily confused with
- **ten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-ten)
- **Ted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-ted)
- **Tel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tel)
- **tee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tee)
- **tha** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tha)
- **tor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tor)
- **Tex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tex)
- **TSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tsa)
- **ter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-ter)
- **Tia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tia)
- **tra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tra)
- **teh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-teh)
- **TEC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tec)
- **tek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tek)
- **tet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tet)
- **TWA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-twa)
- **tur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tur)
- **Teo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-teo)
- **toa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-toa)
- **Tyr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tear-vs-tyr)

## Common misspellings (5)
`etar`, `taer`, `tearr`, `tera`, `ttear`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tear