How to Use tear at in a Sentence

tear at

phrase
  • The tears at the end of the final, though, suggest where his mind might be at.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Far too many Americans have cheered on the men tearing at the temple.
    — Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
  • Cholowsky burst into tears at a draft party far from the Philadelphia site of the draft.
    — Dan Gelston, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • According to Geist, a bull will dig a wallow with his front feet, bugling and tearing at the ground with his antlers while digging.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Khloe Kardashian Khloe shared a moment from their shows where Kris is brought to tears at the thought of losing her mom.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • Custer’s widow, Elizabeth, who helped cement her husband’s heroic reputation, was said to have been moved to tears at the sight of the painting.
    — New York Times, 28 June 2026
  • This time a year ago, the Kansas City Chiefs left tackle surprised many with his near-full bill of health after a patellar tendon tear at Ohio State.
    — Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • After roughly 30 years, animal pelts can lose moisture and become brittle, meaning a coat that looks perfectly fine on the rack may begin to tear at stress points or shed once worn regularly.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lopez was pictured wiping away tears at Max’s graduation in June, and she was also seen at Oskar’s ceremony a week earlier.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tear at.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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