tear off

UK/tɛəɹ ɒf/US/teɹ ɑf/

verb

To rip away from; to pull a piece from forcibly.

“The fugitive tore off down the alley.”

Similar
detachremoverip offfleetear away
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Meanings

verbtear off (third-person singular simple present tears off, present participle tearing off, simple past tore off, past participle torn off)

present singular third person tears off · participle present tearing off · past tore off · participle past torn off

  1. transitiveTo rip away from; to pull a piece from forcibly.

    Do not tear off the price tag if you want to return that shirt.

    Synonyms: detach

  2. intransitiveTo become detached by tearing or ripping.

    Synonyms: remove, rip off

  3. intransitiveTo leave or depart rapidly.

    The fugitive tore off down the alley.

    Synonyms: flee

  4. transitivebusinessTo remove all of a roof (shingles, etc.) down to the wood deck.
nountear off (plural tear offs)

plural tear offs

  1. alternativeAlternative form of tear-off.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo rip away from; to pull a piece from forcibly.

Similar
detach

verbTo become detached by tearing or ripping.

Similar
removerip off

verbTo leave or depart rapidly.

Similar
flee

More synonyms by meaning

verbremove by pulling or ripping violently and forcefully

Similar
tear awayrip off
Broader
removetaketake away
Also see
disconnectfleerip offteartear away

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Dutch wegscheuren
  • wegscheuren(intransitive) to leave or depart rapidly
Esperanto elŝiri
  • elŝiri(''transitive'') to rip away from
French arracher, s'arracher
  • arracher(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • s'arracher(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
German abreißen, abreißen
  • abreißen(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • abreißen(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
Latin abscindō
  • abscindō(''transitive'') to rip away from
Polish zdzierać, zedrzeć
  • zdzierać(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • zedrzeć(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • oddzierać(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • odedrzeć(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • odrywać(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • oderwać(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • zdzierać się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • zedrzeć się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • oddzierać się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • odedrzeć się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • odrywać się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • oderwać się(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
Portuguese arrancar
  • arrancar(''transitive'') to rip away from
Romanian rupe
  • rupe(''transitive'') to rip away from
Russian оторва́ться, отрыва́ться
  • оторва́ться (otorvátʹsja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • отрыва́ться (otryvátʹsja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
Spanish terrafear
  • terrafear(''transitive'') to rip away from
Swedish slita loss
  • slita loss(''transitive'') to rip away from
Ukrainian відрива́ти, відірва́ти
  • відрива́ти (vidryváty)(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • відірва́ти (vidirváty)(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • віддира́ти (viddyráty)(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • відде́рти (viddérty)(''transitive'') to rip away from
  • відрива́тися (vidryvátysja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • відірва́тися (vidirvátysja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • віддира́тися (viddyrátysja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
  • відде́ртися (viddértysja)(intransitive) to become detached by tearing or ripping
Cite this entry
APA

tear off. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tear%20off

MLA

“tear off.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tear%20off. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tear off,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tear%20off.

Source: tear off on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.