RIPS Synonyms: 208 Similar and Opposite Words

rips 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of rip

as in tears

to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it the dog ripped the sleeve of my shirt by grabbing it with his teeth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in slits

to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife) you can see where someone ripped the painting with a penknife

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as in rushes

to proceed or move quickly the car went ripping down the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in grabs

to separate or remove by forceful pulling rip a sheet off the pad of paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reattaches

rips

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of rip

as in scratches

a long deep cut the hoe left rips in the lawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

rips

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of rip

as in perverts

a person who has sunk below the normal moral standard something of a rip in his youth, he eventually settled down

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

saints

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of rips

Verb

The ambitious staging literally rips the fourth wall off a two-story house, giving a voyeuristic view into the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom. — William Earl, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026 Pouring them straight into a trash bag could lead to a smelly mess if the bag rips and leaks. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2026 It’s followed by Watts, coming in on drums slightly offbeat, and then Richards, who rips the song open with his five-string open G tuning technique. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026 During his tour, a solar flare causes an electromagnetic disturbance that rips through the systems of civilization and into the data center. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Louis rips his spine out, dislocates his jaw, and reads Claudia’s diary entries about how she was repeatedly assaulted by him. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026 Continue reading … GLOVES OFF — Fired '60 Minutes' veteran rips new bosses as incompetent, claims pro-Trump bias. — FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026 Both are subject to disruption from the Milky Way's gravity, which triggers bursts of star formation within them and rips away a stream of gas from both, called the Magellanic Stream. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 June 2026 The dimple in the mattress stretches into a deep depression, one that essentially rips all the way through. — Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026

Noun

Agitators in top load washers tend to be rough on clothes and can cause rips in clothes if items get stuck and slung around the process. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026 The last movie had crazy stuff going on with the multiverse, multiple Spider-Men, and rips in the space-time continuum. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 Bag tags in particular may sustain rips and spills and are easy to replace on the cheap—there’s no need to hold onto any that aren’t in good condition, Lubega notes. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 28 July 2026 One of the standout pieces in Galecki’s room is a yellow chair with visible scratches, rips and worn fabric. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026 The material hasn’t suffered any rips or snags, and the dust and dirt it’s collected is easy to wash off. — Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026 After identifying the injuries, the doctors used laser treatments to mend the retinal tears and rips and seal the break. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026 Old bath, hand, or face towels with rips, tears, or stains that won’t budge can be repurposed for cleaning, drying the dog after a muddy walk, or even donated to a local animal shelter. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2026 The crossbar cracks, the netting rips. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 9 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rips

Verb

In a sense, the proof shows that a world in which love never returns is a world whose geometry tears itself apart—assuming, of course, the proof holds up.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Instead of wiping firmware, an adversary nudges a setpoint, edits a protection parameter, distorts a sensor feed—or shows the operator a calm screen while the equipment tears itself apart.

— Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of tears

Verb

That line slices the plane into two halves, one of which will contain two corners of the outer triangle (the bottom half in the figure below).

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
You may already be accustomed to changing channels frequently since the NFL eagerly slices up its schedule across multiple networks.

— Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of slices

Verb

But his wildly unfiltered speech grabs the attention of beautiful and brash public defender Ginger (Gilpin), herself a crusader for truth.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
Profanity also grabs attention since the shock value of an F-bomb can lead to more media coverage and clips circulating on social media.

— Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of grabs

Noun

This blatant fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
This blatant expression of fealty over objectivity perverts the process by choosing personal loyalists instead of independent public servants.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of perverts

Verb

Dupuis still shreds on 1331, but her guitar takes a supporting role this time, churning along with the industrial percussion that powers the catchy but often chorusless tracks.

— Grace Robins-Somerville, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Keanu Reeves shreds on stage alongside his band, Dogstar, at the Tons of Rock festival in Oslo on June 26.

— Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

Definition of shreds

Verb

Applying this rule to back-to-school clothes, summer swimwear, and winter boots takes minimal extra effort (plus a little storage space) and slashes kid clothing budgets in half.

— Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026
Continue reading … DOLLAR DIPLOMACY — Taco Bell slashes prices on lettuce-free favorites to win back wary customers.

— , FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of slashes

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rips.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rips. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of rips

verb

noun (1)

noun (2)

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