tear up

rip something into small pieces, especially paper

B2

What does "tear sth up" mean?

To tear up something means to rip it into several small pieces, usually paper or a document. It often signals a deliberate decision to destroy or reject something — for example, tearing up a letter you don't want to keep, or tearing up a contract to show that an agreement is over. The action is typically intentional and final. Beyond the literal meaning, 'tear up the rulebook' or 'tear up the script' is a common figurative phrase in journalism and business, meaning to abandon existing rules or conventions entirely. The phrasal verb works in both everyday conversation and more formal writing, making it a versatile and useful phrase to know.

Examples

How to use it

tear up + object (document/paper)

The most common pattern: tear up is followed directly by a tangible object, usually a paper-based item such as a letter, contract, or note.

She tore up the receipt and threw it in the bin.

tear + object + up

When the object is a short noun phrase, separating the phrasal verb is very natural and often preferred.

He grabbed the agreement and tore the whole thing up in front of his boss.

tear + pronoun + up

With pronoun objects, separation is not optional — the pronoun must go between 'tear' and 'up'.

I kept the first draft for a week before finally tearing it up.

be torn up

The passive form is natural, especially when a document or agreement is the subject of the sentence.

The peace treaty was torn up within months of being signed.

tear up + the rulebook / script / playbook

This fixed figurative pattern means to abandon established rules or conventions, and is common in journalism and business contexts.

The new director tore up the rulebook and restructured the entire department.

Common Collocations

tear up a lettertear up a contracttear up a chequetear up a phototear up a documenttear up a note

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'tear' and 'up'. Placing the pronoun after 'up' is ungrammatical.

✗ She was so angry that she tore up it immediately.
✓ She was so angry that she tore it up immediately.
Confusing the physical and emotional senses

'Tear up' can also describe becoming emotional or teary-eyed in informal American English (e.g. 'it tore me up inside'), which is a completely different meaning. The physical sense always requires a direct object — something tangible that can actually be ripped, like a letter or document.

✗ The sad news really tore up the contract.
✓ The sad news really tore me up. / She tore up the contract in anger.
Using 'tear apart' instead of 'tear up'

'Tear apart' suggests pulling something into larger sections or destroying something more substantial, whereas 'tear up' specifically implies reducing something to many small pieces. They are not interchangeable when you mean shredding a document into fragments.

✗ He tore apart the letter and scattered the pieces on the table.
✓ He tore up the letter and scattered the pieces on the table.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both formal and informal contexts. It also has a common figurative meaning in journalism and business, as in 'tear up the rulebook', meaning to ignore or abandon existing rules or conventions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of objects can you 'tear up'? Does it have to be paper?

In the most typical and common use, the object is something paper-based — a letter, contract, cheque, photo, note, or similar document. While it's not impossible to use 'tear up' with other materials, paper and documents are by far the most natural choice. If you're describing something made of fabric or a harder material, 'rip up' might sound more natural.

Can 'tear up' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive form is perfectly natural, especially when a document or agreement is the subject. For example: 'The contract was torn up after both sides failed to agree.' This construction is common in news reporting and business contexts.

I've heard 'tearing up' used to mean getting emotional. Is that the same phrasal verb?

No — that's a different sense. In informal American English, 'tearing up' or 'torn up' can describe someone becoming emotional or close to tears (e.g. 'he teared up during the speech'). The key difference is that the physical sense always needs a direct object — something you're actually ripping. If there's no paper or document involved, it's the emotional sense.

Is 'tear up the rulebook' a literal or figurative expression?

It's figurative. Saying someone 'tore up the rulebook' means they completely ignored or abandoned the usual rules, norms, or ways of doing things — not that they literally destroyed a book. This expression is very common in journalism and business writing and is a natural extension of the core meaning of tearing something up to reject it.

Is the past tense 'tore up' or 'teared up'?

'Tear up' uses the irregular past tense of 'tear', so the correct form is 'tore up' — for example, 'She tore up the letter'. The past participle, used in perfect tenses and the passive, is 'torn up': 'He has torn up every draft he's written' or 'The agreement was torn up'. 'Teared up' only appears in the unrelated emotional sense.

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