tear up1
phrasal verbtear somebody apart/up
- to make somebody feel very unhappy or worried synonym rip somebody apart
- It tears me apart to think I might have hurt her feelings.
- His distress tore me up inside.
tear somebody up
(also tear somebody/something apart, to shreds, to bits, etc.)
- to destroy or defeat somebody/something completely or criticize them or it severely
tear something up
- to destroy a document, etc. by tearing it into pieces synonym rip something up
- She tore up all the letters he had sent her.
- (figurative) He accused the leader of tearing up the party's manifesto (= of ignoring it).