tore up

adjective

Unsightly, unkempt, dirty.

“He's been tore up real bad since his boy died.”

Similar
unkemptdrunkfaultyinjuredwoundedbroken
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Meanings

adjectivetore up (comparative more tore up, superlative most tore up)

comparative more tore up · superlative most tore up

  1. USslangUnsightly, unkempt, dirty.

    She went into rehab tore up but cleaned up quite nicely before her departure.

    Synonyms: unkempt

  2. USslangParticularly drunk.

    I got three pounds of ice, a gallon of Jack, a half-gallon of Reyka, two gallons of Jäger and a rainbow of mixers. Tonight we're gettin' tore up from the floor up.

    Synonyms: drunk

  3. Southern USDamaged, hurt or broken.

    He's been tore up real bad since his boy died.

    1 more example

    I didn't call you, 'cause my phone's all tore up.

    Synonyms: faulty, injured, wounded, broken

verb
  1. pastsimple past of tear up

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveUnsightly, unkempt, dirty.

Similar
unkempt

adjectiveParticularly drunk.

Similar
drunk

adjectiveDamaged, hurt or broken.

Similar
faultyinjuredwoundedbroken
Also see
banged uphurtunkemptwounded
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: tore up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.