1
as in tears
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 slits
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 rushes
to proceed or move quickly
the car went ripping down the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grabs
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
rip a sheet off the pad of paper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in perverts
a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard
something of a rip in his youth, he eventually settled down
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 rips
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
Bell rips Bargatze for attending the UFC Freedom 250 fights at Donald Trump‘s White House earlier this month.
—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Louis rips his spine out, dislocates his jaw, and reads Claudia’s diary entries about how she was repeatedly assaulted by him.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Continue reading … GLOVES OFF — Fired '60 Minutes' veteran rips new bosses as incompetent, claims pro-Trump bias.
—
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Both are subject to disruption from the Milky Way's gravity, which triggers bursts of star formation within them and rips away a stream of gas from both, called the Magellanic Stream.
—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
The dimple in the mattress stretches into a deep depression, one that essentially rips all the way through.
—
Quanta Magazine,
3 June 2026
The film kicks off with a mysterious cosmic event that rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports the neighborhood to someplace unknown where, evidently, dinosaurs run wild.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
Pollinator-friendly plants are clustered across the large property, a hedge against the next storm that rips away the canopy.
—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
After identifying the injuries, the doctors used laser treatments to mend the retinal tears and rips and seal the break.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
22 June 2026
Old bath, hand, or face towels with rips, tears, or stains that won’t budge can be repurposed for cleaning, drying the dog after a muddy walk, or even donated to a local animal shelter.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2026
The crossbar cracks, the netting rips.
—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
The jerseys are made of polyester so the fabric can be cut like papel picado without becoming vulnerable to tears or rips.
—
ABC News,
30 May 2026
Some signs to never ignore are yellow or brown stains, rips, or a musty smell.
—
Jane Kim,
The Spruce,
27 May 2026
The cuts in Colin’s flesh—actually rips—were shallow.
—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
No photos in the living room — a policy that tightened after guests snapped pictures of Taylor Swift with Matty Healy — and a dress code that allows jeans, but the expensive kind with no rips.
—
George Gurley,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
During his tour, a solar flare causes an electromagnetic disturbance that rips through the systems of civilization and into the data center.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
Bell rips Bargatze for attending the UFC Freedom 250 fights at Donald Trump‘s White House earlier this month.
—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Louis rips his spine out, dislocates his jaw, and reads Claudia’s diary entries about how she was repeatedly assaulted by him.
—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Continue reading … GLOVES OFF — Fired '60 Minutes' veteran rips new bosses as incompetent, claims pro-Trump bias.
—
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Both are subject to disruption from the Milky Way's gravity, which triggers bursts of star formation within them and rips away a stream of gas from both, called the Magellanic Stream.
—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
The dimple in the mattress stretches into a deep depression, one that essentially rips all the way through.
—
Quanta Magazine,
3 June 2026
The film kicks off with a mysterious cosmic event that rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports the neighborhood to someplace unknown where, evidently, dinosaurs run wild.
—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
Pollinator-friendly plants are clustered across the large property, a hedge against the next storm that rips away the canopy.
—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Noun
The material hasn’t suffered any rips or snags, and the dust and dirt it’s collected is easy to wash off.
—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
After identifying the injuries, the doctors used laser treatments to mend the retinal tears and rips and seal the break.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
22 June 2026
Old bath, hand, or face towels with rips, tears, or stains that won’t budge can be repurposed for cleaning, drying the dog after a muddy walk, or even donated to a local animal shelter.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2026
The crossbar cracks, the netting rips.
—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
The jerseys are made of polyester so the fabric can be cut like papel picado without becoming vulnerable to tears or rips.
—
ABC News,
30 May 2026
Some signs to never ignore are yellow or brown stains, rips, or a musty smell.
—
Jane Kim,
The Spruce,
27 May 2026
The cuts in Colin’s flesh—actually rips—were shallow.
—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
No photos in the living room — a policy that tightened after guests snapped pictures of Taylor Swift with Matty Healy — and a dress code that allows jeans, but the expensive kind with no rips.
—
George Gurley,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rips
Verb
-
Carter further complicates things in last week’s episode, when he drunkly tears an animal mount off the wall during Oreana’s grandmother’s big party at the 10-Petal Ranch.
-
As an example of how his platform would work, Wehmeyer pointed to processing insurance claims after a tornado tears through a house in Minnesota.
Verb
-
Driven by revenge and madness, Sweeney Todd slices necks he is meant to just shave.
-
Her foot slices down the side of the ball.
Verb
-
Instead, the film rushes to its next action beat.
-
Babcock is a possession coach; Bouchard’s brilliant passes tape-to-tape out of the defensive zone are textbook starters for rushes up the ice.
Verb
-
Once inside, she’s confronted by Tommy (James Eddie), who stupidly grabs her to escort her out.
-
When forecasters warn about a heat wave, the number that grabs headlines is the daytime high.
Noun
-
Her bodycon mermaid skirt was covered in diagonal rows of slits, exposing glimpses of her legs, hips, and butt.
-
Enter, this chic and minimalist two-piece set from Missactiver, which includes a tube top with side-slits and button closures and high-rise shorts with pockets.
Noun
-
Nora Ephron for depressed perverts.
-
Also, what many now interpret as Kubrick’s exposé of elite perverts was, in fact, mostly Schnitzler’s doing.
Verb
-
Keanu Reeves shreds on stage alongside his band, Dogstar, at the Tons of Rock festival in Oslo on June 26.
-
The Food Processor quickly chops, slices, and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations, while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices, and herbs for superior flavor and potency.
Verb
-
Smiley slashes Mari across the belly and Fatima lets out a monstrous shriek.
-
This comes as the company reportedly slashes product prices and prepares for a potential IPO, amid accusations from Florida's AG regarding unsafe product releases.
Cite this Entry
“Rips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rips. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
