as in tears
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it the little boy tattered that blanket beyond repair by repeatedly yanking on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tatters
Verb
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The company regularly buys brand-new devices and tears them to pieces.—
Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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As the GIs raise their guns, a pudgy hand in the backseat tears a strip of white cloth from his companion’s petticoat for the chauffeur to hang out the window.— Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The proteinmaxxers leapt on the buffet, heaping spoonfuls of hummus and shreds of rotisserie chicken onto paper plates.— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
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Microplastics are tiny and sometimes invisible shreds of plastic that can be produced by the breakdown of plastic, the shedding of clothing fibers, manufacturing processes, and more.— Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That collaboration continued on the sketch series SCTV and in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, and culminated with her Emmy-winning portrayal of riches-to-rags matriarch Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek.— Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
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Another common mistake is using paper towels or regular rags, which can leave lint behind.— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Of course, Wallace already rips the ball away from dribblers more than anyone else.— Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
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Continue reading … ROBES RIVALRY — Liberal justice Elena Kagan rips colleague Jackson's dissent in rare public break.— , FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The discovery of the ship fragments — and the research that followed — was two years in the making.— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
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The episode follows a pivotal school trip that triggers Daisy’s memories of Toronto, revealing fragments of her past and a world fractured by violence.— Clayton Davis, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Throw the pieces into a zip-top bag along with lemon (juice and slices), olive oil, a minced shallot, some Parmesan, and salt and pepper.— Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Apr. 2026
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Those pieces of software, among other things, power operating systems and transfer data for things connected to the internet.— Huo Jingnan, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Joshua Jackson celebrates the Banana Republic and The Explorers Club partnership at the clothing brand's flagship store in New York City on April 16.— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
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Carry a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket and additional warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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People who compost their food scraps and yard trimmings can contribute to reducing landfill methane emissions; improving soil health; and sequestering carbon, according to the EPA.— Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
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Fishermen should dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans, and not throw them into water where alligators may live.— Mark Price April 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Tatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/tatters. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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