# torn

/ˈtɔɹn/ (US) · /tˈɔːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/torn
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. ripped or damaged

adjective · CEFR B1

damaged by being pulled apart into pieces.

For teachers: having been pulled apart or into pieces by force; physically ruptured.

- He had to throw away his favourite shirt because it was badly torn.
- The investigators found several torn documents in the wastebasket, suggesting that someone had tried to destroy the evidence in a hurry.

### 2. unable to decide

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling like you are pulled in two directions because you cannot choose between two options.

For teachers: experiencing a conflict between two different choices, loyalties, or courses of action.

- I am torn between going to the party and staying home to rest.
- She felt deeply torn between her desire to accept the promotion abroad and her responsibility to care for her ageing parents at home.

### 3. with irregular edges

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

having deep and uneven cuts along the edges, like some leaves.

For teachers: possessing marginal incisions that are deep and irregular in shape.

- The plant is easy to identify because of its uniquely torn leaves.
- The specimen is characterised by its torn leaf margins, which distinguish it from other closely related species in the same genus.

## Examples

- I am torn between the chocolate cake and the fruit tart.
- She felt torn between her desire to travel the world and her commitment to her new job.
- The committee remained torn between the immediate necessity of budget cuts and the long-term goal of expanding their research facilities, leading to a stalemate in the negotiations.

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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.