Rip vs. Tear — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 2, 2023
Rip implies a forceful or rough division of material, while tear suggests a more irregular or accidental action.
Difference Between Rip and Tear
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Rip often implies a forceful action, using strength or tools. Tear suggests a more spontaneous or accidental action, often done by hand.
Rip can indicate a precise or deliberate action, often in a straight line. Tear, on the other hand, often results in jagged or uneven edges.
Rip is commonly used with materials like paper or fabric, implying a clean separation. Tear can be used for various materials and implies less control over the result.
The sound associated with a rip is often a quick, sharp noise. A tear might not produce as distinct a sound, reflecting its less forceful nature.
While rip can also mean moving quickly or taking something away quickly, tear has the additional meaning of liquid coming from the eyes as a result of emotions.
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Comparison Chart
Implication of Action
Forceful, using strength or tools
Spontaneous, accidental, often by hand
Resulting Edges
Precise, often in a straight line
Jagged, uneven, less controlled
Common Usage
With materials like paper or fabric, implying clean separation
For various materials, less control over the result
Sound
Quick, sharp noise
Less distinct or no sound, reflecting less forcefulness
Additional Meanings
Can mean moving quickly or taking something away quickly
Also means liquid from the eyes due to emotions
Compare with Definitions
Rip
To move or take away something rapidly.
The wind ripped the hat from his head.
Tear
To pull apart or into pieces by force, especially paper or cloth.
He accidentally tore the important document.
Rip
To damage by tearing.
The cat ripped the sofa with its claws.
Tear
To cause emotional pain or distress.
The sad movie tore at her heartstrings.
Rip
To cut or split something precisely.
He ripped the paper along the dotted line.
Tear
To make a hole or split in something by pulling it.
She tore a hole in her dress while climbing the fence.
Rip
To remove something quickly or violently.
She ripped the bandage off her wound.
Tear
To produce liquid from the eyes, usually from emotion.
The touching reunion brought tears to their eyes.
Rip
A stretch of water in a river, estuary, or tidal channel made rough by waves meeting an opposing current.
Tear
To damage something by pulling it apart.
The dog tore the cushion into shreds.
Rip
A rip current.
Tear
To pull apart or into pieces by force; rend.
Rip
A dissolute person.
Tear
To cause to be pulled apart unintentionally, as by accident
Tore my pants on the barbed wire.
Rip
An old or worthless horse.
Tear
To lacerate (the skin, for example).
Rip
A tear (in paper, etc.).
Tear
To make (an opening) in something by pulling it apart or by accident
I tore a hole in my stocking.
Rip
A type of strong, rough tide or current.
Tear
To separate forcefully; wrench
Tore the pipe from the wall.
Rip
(Australia, New Zealand) A rip current: a strong outflow of surface water, away from the shore, that returns water from incoming waves.
Tear
To divide or disrupt
Was torn between opposing choices.
A country that was torn by strife.
Rip
(slang) A comical, embarrassing, or hypocritical event or action.
Tear
To become torn
The fabric does not tear easily.
Rip
(slang) A hit (dose) of marijuana.
Tear
To move with heedless speed; rush headlong
Tore off down the road.
Tore along the avenue.
Rip
A black mark given for substandard schoolwork.
Tear
To become filled with tears
The strong wind caused my eyes to tear.
Rip
(slang) Something unfairly expensive, a rip-off.
Tear
The act of tearing.
Rip
Data or audio copied from a CD, DVD, Internet stream, etc. to a hard drive, portable device, etc.
Some of these CD rips don't sound very good: what bitrate did you use?
Tear
The result of tearing; a rip or rent
The shirt has a small tear.
Rip
Something ripped off or stolen; a work resulting from plagiarism.
Tear
A great rush; a hurry.
Rip
A kind of glissando leading up to the main note to be played.
Tear
(Slang) A carousal; a spree.
Rip
Ellipsis of ripsaw.
Tear
A drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal gland of the eye to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and eyelid and to wash away irritants.
Rip
A joyride.
Tear
Tears A profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks, especially as an expression of emotion.
Rip
A wicker basket for fish.
Tear
Tears The act of weeping
Criticism that left me in tears.
Rip
A worthless horse; a nag.
Tear
A drop of a liquid or hardened fluid.
Rip
An immoral man; a rake, a scoundrel.
Tear
(transitive) To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
He tore his coat on the nail.
Rip
(transitive) To divide or separate the parts of (especially something flimsy, such as paper or fabric), by cutting or tearing; to tear off or out by violence.
To rip a garment; to rip up a floor
Tear
(transitive) To injure as if by pulling apart.
He has a torn ligament.
He tore some muscles in a weight-lifting accident.
Rip
(intransitive) To tear apart; to rapidly become two parts.
My shirt ripped when it was caught on a bramble.
Tear
(transitive) To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
He was torn by conflicting emotions.
Rip
(transitive) To get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing.
Tear
(transitive) To make (an opening) with force or energy.
A piece of debris tore a tiny straight channel through the satellite.
His boss will tear him a new one when he finds out.
The artillery tore a gap in the line.
Rip
To move quickly and destructively.
Tear
To remove by tearing.
Tear the coupon out of the newspaper.
Rip
(woodworking) To cut wood along (parallel to) the grain.
Tear
To demolish
The slums were torn down to make way for the new development.
Rip
To copy data from a CD, DVD, Internet stream, etc., to a hard drive, portable device, etc.
Tear
(intransitive) To become torn, especially accidentally.
My dress has torn.
Rip
To take a "hit" of marijuana.
Tear
(intransitive) To move or act with great speed, energy, or violence.
He went tearing down the hill at 90 miles per hour.
The tornado lingered, tearing through town, leaving nothing upright.
He tore into the backlog of complaints.
Rip
(slang) To fart.
Tear
(intransitive) To smash or enter something with great force.
The chain shot tore into the approaching line of infantry.
Rip
To mock or criticize (someone or something). (often used with on and into)
Tear
(intransitive) To produce tears.
Her eyes began to tear in the harsh wind.
Rip
To steal; to rip off.
Tear
A hole or break caused by tearing.
A small tear is easy to mend, if it is on the seam.
Rip
To move or act fast; to rush headlong.
Tear
(slang) A rampage.
To go on a tear
Rip
(archaic) To tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration; to search to the bottom; to discover; to disclose; usually with up.
Tear
A drop of clear, salty liquid produced from the eyes by crying or irritation.
There were big tears rolling down Lisa's cheeks.
Ryan wiped the tear from the paper he was crying on.
Rip
To surf extremely well.
Tear
Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.
Rip
A wicker fish basket.
Tear
(glass manufacture) A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.
Rip
A rent made by ripping, esp. by a seam giving way; a tear; a place torn; laceration.
Tear
That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge.
Rip
A term applied to a mean, worthless thing or person, as to a scamp, a debauchee, or a prostitute, or a worn-out horse.
Tear
A drop of the limpid, saline fluid secreted, normally in small amount, by the lachrymal gland, and diffused between the eye and the eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion. Ordinarily the secretion passes through the lachrymal duct into the nose, but when it is increased by emotion or other causes, it overflows the lids.
And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear.
Rip
A body of water made rough by the meeting of opposing tides or currents.
Tear
Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.
Let Araby extol her happy coast,Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears.
Rip
To divide or separate the parts of, by cutting or tearing; to tear or cut open or off; to tear off or out by violence; as, to rip a garment by cutting the stitches; to rip off the skin of a beast; to rip up a floor; - commonly used with up, open, off.
Tear
That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge.
Rip
To get by, or as by, cutting or tearing.
He 'll rip the fatal secret from her heart.
Tear
A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.
Rip
To tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration; to search to the bottom; to discover; to disclose; - usually with up.
They ripped up all that had been done from the beginning of the rebellion.
For brethern to debate and rip up their falling out in the ear of a common enemy . . . is neither wise nor comely.
Tear
The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a fissure.
Rip
To saw (wood) lengthwise of the grain or fiber.
Tear
To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate; as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh.
Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator.
Rip
A dissolute man in fashionable society
Tear
Hence, to divide by violent measures; to disrupt; to rend; as, a party or government torn by factions.
Rip
An opening made forcibly as by pulling apart;
There was a rip in his pants
She had snags in her stockings
Tear
To rend away; to force away; to remove by force; to sunder; as, a child torn from its home.
The hand of fateHath torn thee from me.
Rip
A stretch of turbulent water in a river or the sea caused by one current flowing into or across another current
Tear
To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.
Rip
The act of rending or ripping or splitting something;
He gave the envelope a vigorous rip
Tear
To move violently; to agitate.
Rip
Tear or be torn violently;
The curtain ripped from top to bottom
Pull the cooked chicken into strips
Tear
To divide or separate on being pulled; to be rent; as, this cloth tears easily.
Rip
Move precipitously or violently;
The tornado ripped along the coast
Tear
To move and act with turbulent violence; to rush with violence; hence, to rage; to rave.
Rip
Cut (wood) along the grain
Tear
A drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the lacrimal glands;
His story brought tears to her eyes
Rip
Criticize or abuse strongly and violently;
The candidate ripped into his opponent mercilessly
Tear
An opening made forcibly as by pulling apart;
There was a rip in his pants
She had snags in her stockings
Rip
To divide something forcefully, especially fabric or paper.
She managed to rip the envelope open.
Tear
An occasion for excessive eating or drinking;
They went on a bust that lasted three days
Tear
The act of tearing;
He took the manuscript in both hands and gave it a mighty tear
Tear
Separate or cause to separate abruptly;
The rope snapped
Tear the paper
Tear
To separate or be separated by force;
Planks were in danger of being torn from the crossbars
Tear
Move quickly and violently;
The car tore down the street
He came charging into my office
Tear
Strip of feathers;
Pull a chicken
Pluck the capon
Tear
Fill with tears or shed tears;
Her eyes were tearing
Common Curiosities
What does tear refer to?
Tearing means pulling apart something, often unevenly, or the production of tears from the eyes.
Can tearing be accidental?
Yes, tearing is often accidental, especially when it refers to materials.
Does ripping result in straight edges?
It can, especially when done with force or tools.
Can rip have meanings besides tearing?
Yes, it can also mean to move or remove something quickly.
Are tears from tearing always jagged?
Usually, tearing results in uneven or jagged edges.
Is tear always about physical materials?
No, it can also refer to emotional distress or liquid from the eyes.
Is ripping used in expressions?
Yes, such as "rip off" meaning to cheat or overcharge.
What does it mean to rip something?
Ripping involves forcefully dividing or tearing something, often material or paper.
Is ripping always deliberate?
Often, but not always. Ripping can be intentional or accidental.
Can tearing be controlled?
Tearing is often less controlled and more accidental.
Is ripping quieter than tearing?
Ripping can produce a sharp noise, while tearing might be less noisy.
Is ripping considered more forceful than tearing?
Generally, yes. Ripping implies more force or strength.
Do both words have similar origins?
Both have Old English origins but have evolved with slightly different meanings.
Can both rip and tear be used for fabric?
Yes, both can be used when referring to damaging fabric.
Can tearing be emotional?
Yes, it can refer to emotional pain or producing tears from the eyes.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
