# tear to shreds

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tear-to-shreds
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of tear to pieces.

## Examples

- The puppy tore my favorite book to shreds.
- The critic tore the new movie to shreds in his review, calling it boring and poorly written.
- During the heated debate, the lawyer tore the witness's weak testimony to shreds, exposing several contradictions in her story.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.