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Glite Dictionary
to rend the fabric of reality

to rend the fabric of reality

9.9
To make people feel that reality is broken and strange
  • idiom
  • Literature
translation icon : rasgar el tejido de la realidad
  • The artist's latest work rends the fabric of reality with its surreal imagery.

Examples

  • Some science fiction novels rend the fabric of reality with bold theories and twisted timelines.

  • Witnessing the bizarre event in person felt like rending the fabric of reality.

  • The artist's latest film seems to rend the fabric of reality, leaving viewers questioning what is possible.

  • How does this film rend the fabric of reality so effectively?

  • The artist's latest film seems to rend the fabric of reality, leaving viewers questioning what is possible.

  • Some science fiction novels rend the fabric of reality with bold theories and twisted timelines.

  • How does this film rend the fabric of reality so effectively?

Synonyms

to devastate
vsto rend the fabric of reality
221 4.9

To destroy something greatly or make people feel deeply shocked and sad

targets core beliefs and perceptions violently rather than only causing shock or ruin
to ravage
vsto rend the fabric of reality
73 6.6

To damage a place or thing very badly

attacks shared understandings and perceptions rather than causing physical damage
to distort
vsto rend the fabric of reality
59 4.3

To change the shape of something so it is no longer normal

is more violent and profound causing deep unsettling shifts in perception
to turn (something) upside down
vsto rend the fabric of reality
  • Informal
51 4.5

Cause a big sudden change that leaves people confused

focuses specifically on violently disturbing accepted perceptions rather than broad circumstance change
to demolish
vsto rend the fabric of reality
15 4.2

Completely destroy an idea, argument, or reputation

focuses on violently challenging deep perceptions rather than only destroying abstractions
to rend
vsto rend the fabric of reality
10 8.7

To pull something apart with great force

applies violent disruption to people's perceptions and shared understandings
to cause chaos
vsto rend the fabric of reality
7 4.1

To make a place or situation very messy and confused

is a targeted violent challenge to perceptions rather than general disorder
to break reality
vsto rend the fabric of reality
  • Literature
8.5

To make people doubt what is real using art or media

is more violent and unsettling stressing forceful disruption of accepted views

How Disruptive

to rend the fabric of reality
  • Literature
9.9
to nudge
24 4.1

Surface Forms

rend the fabric of reality infinitive
rending the fabric of reality present participle
rends the fabric of reality third person singular
rended the fabric of reality past
rended the fabric of reality past participle

Morphology

rend + the + fabric + of + reality

The sense is largely derivable from the parts: 'rend' means to tear violently and 'fabric of reality' evokes a metaphorical underlying structure, so together they convey violently disrupting reality. However, the phrase depends on a figurative use of 'fabric' (and the somewhat literary verb 'rend'), which may not be fully predictable for all B1 learners without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase rend the fabric of reality comes from the image of a large cloth that stands for the world being torn. To rend means to tear, and ripping that fabric gives a clear picture of breaking how things normally are, so the phrase now means 'to strongly disturb what people think is real'.